All That Remains
by blackhawkschiq9
Summary: [Sequel To Second City Romance] Set three years in the future, how have Punk and Courtney taken to a family life with their son, PJ? With Courtney growing more & more overwhelmed with motherhood everyday, her relationship with Punk is tested. Matters aren't helped by a figure lurking in the background for any opportunity to take advantage of the strained relationship.
1. Chapter 1

**This is a sequel to my first story, Second City Romance. I would recommend you check it out before reading this one.**

* * *

Three years.

Three years since she'd stepped foot in the ring. Three years since she'd felt the adrenaline building in her veins in those brief moments of silence before her entrance hit. That rush she got from the crowd screaming for her.

She missed wrestling.

Days that used to be filled with traveling all across the globe, photo sessions, interviews, and media events were now filled with temper tantrums, cartoons, Sippy cups, and PJ's accidents. A stark contrast to her life before.

She loved her son. She enjoyed every moment she spent with him. She wouldn't trade him for anything in the world. He was her greatest joy. Caring for him had been difficult at first. She'd been worried that she was a terrible mother because she did not enjoy her time with him. She was tired. Aggravated. Angry. Finally, after months of growing frustration and resentment, she confessed her feelings to Phil.

She'd been worried that he would judge her. Worried he would accuse her of not loving their son. Instead, he embraced her. Told her everything was going to be alright and encouraged her to share her feelings with a professional. Her feelings were normal. postpartum depression.

Her relationship with her son was so much better now. He was her pride. Her heart. Her only comfort during the lonely times when Phil was gone for weeks at a time.

Still, today was one of those days where she missed the glamour of her old life.

"Where the heck did he find markers?" She groaned to herself as she knelt, trying her hardest to scrub PJ's artwork off of the stainless steel door of the refrigerator. She'd been at it for almost 15 minutes and the black lines showed no signs of diminishing. "Great." She groaned, dropped the sponge back into the bowl of soapy water on the ground.

Unless they wanted to admire the markings on the fridge forever, they would have to buy a new one. Phil would _love_ that. He wouldn't be upset with PJ. No. He was never upset with his son. The little boy was his everything. His pride and joy. This would be all Courtney's fault. Everything was her fault.

"_Why weren't you watching him?" "You know how he loves to get into things." "You need to pay more attention, Courtney. I'm the only one bringing any money into the house now and I don't know if I will re-sign this year. We need to conserve." _

She could already hear his voice in her head, chiding her. She knew he meant well but he didn't understand how incorrigible little PJ was….just like his dad. He was smart, like Phil. Stubborn, like Phil. Crafty, like Phil. Courtney could watch over him like a hawk for an entire day and he would still find a way to get into something.

Suddenly a loud crashing sound rang out through the apartment. Courtney immediately stood from her defeated spot in front of the refrigerator and ran into the living room where PJ was supposed to be eating his lunch.

Of course.

His peanut butter and jelly sandwich remain on the coffee table, untouched.

"PJ…" Courtney's hand immediately went to her forehead. "What have you done?" She gasped.

The three-year old, dressed in a black t-shirt emblazoned with the Batman emblem and khaki shorts, stood over the pieces of the X-box One that Phil only recently bought.

"Sorry, momma." The little boy shrugged, completely indifferent to the damage he caused. His green eyes shown nothing but innocence.

This was perfect. Phil was on his way home. He would walk through the door at any moment and she would have to welcome him with a destroyed five-hundred dollar gaming system and a refrigerator covered in their son's permanent marker artwork.

"I give up." She tossed her hands in the air, defeated. "Your dad is going to kill me."

"Nooo." PJ giggled. "Daddy loves momma."

"This isn't funny, Phillip." She only called the boy by his first name when her patience with him was tested to the max. "Your daddy is going to be very upset with mom over the things you've destroyed today." She stalked over and crouched down to his level. "Don't you see how the things you do affect mom and dad?" She grabbed his shoulders. "Why do you do these things, PJ?" Her eyes were locked on PJ's, searching his mind for the answer to her question. She knew he was a child. She knew he didn't understand. Still, she couldn't help all the frustration and irritation that was flowing out of her.

"Why? PJ, why?" She continued asking.

"I'm sorry, momma." PJ's lip trembled. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't fix the fridge or your daddy's game, PJ!"

"What the fuck, Court?" She hadn't heard Phil come in the door.

All the despair on PJ's face disappeared at the sight of Phil standing by the front door. "DADDY!" The little boy broke free of his mother and ran into his father's waiting arms.

"PJ! My little man!" Phil squeezed the boy in tight, loving embrace. "Dad missed you."

PJ hugged his father's neck. "I missed you, daddy."

"Yeah, why don't you tell daddy what you've done today?" Courtney stood with her arms crossing the front of her chest.

"What did he do?" Phil's eyebrow rose.

Courtney looked at PJ. "Go on, PJ." She nodded at Phil. "Tell daddy what you did…"

The little boy turned his gaze down. "I'm sorry, daddy." He whispered. "I colored on the 'fridgerdater."

"Tell him what else you did, PJ." Courtney tapped her foot impatiently.

PJ's eyes darted nervously from his mother to his father.

"It's alright, P." Phil coaxed his son. "Tell me what you did."

"I broke your game, daddy."

Phil nodded. "Alright, little dude." He put the boy down. "Go play in your room while I talk to mom."

PJ did as Phil instructed and scurried up the stairs to his room.

"Really?" Courtney narrowed her eyes at Phil. "That's it. You're just going to let him get away with it?"

Phil smiled and closed the distance between them, taking her face in his hands. "Babe, he's three. It was an accident."

"I am sick to death of accidents!" Courtney shoved him away from her. "I don't have room in my life for any more _accidents_." She bit.

"Whoa, whoa." Phil held up his hand. "Time out, chick. I understand that you are frustrated. I know how PJ is, okay? Still, he is my pride and joy. He is my heart. Maybe, if you looked at it that way instead of looking at him as a burden or an _accident_….you wouldn't get so overwhelmed."

"How dare you!" She sputtered. "You know that is not what I meant. I love PJ! I adore him! He isn't a burden to me!"

"The stop acting like he is!" Phil returned. "I don't ever want to walk in this house and witness what I saw today again! Do you understand me!?"

She'd had enough. Who the hell did he think he was? What did he know about PJ or the way he acted? He was never home. Courtney was the one who spent every waking moment with the kid. How dare he act like she was wrong for being exasperated with the child's behavior?

"Whatever, Phil." She spat. "I'm always the bad guy, right?" She shoved past him and began to make her own way up the steps.

"NICE TO SEE YOU TOO, COURT!" Phil shouted up the steps behind her. "I MISSED YOU, TOO."

The smugness and sarcasm in his voice only pissed her off. "YEAH! WELCOME HOME, ASSHOLE!" She shouted and slammed their bedroom door behind her.

Another day in the life of their family.

* * *

This was not the home-coming he wanted but it was the one he was expecting. After three weeks on the road, he didn't want to walk into a battle zone. Still, it seemed like he did every time he walked through the door here lately.

Courtney was always irritated or aggravated with something PJ had done. He often lost his temper with her and her behavior. PJ was just a kid. He didn't know any better. It was their job to teach him. Shouting at him and putting him down wasn't going to teach him anything. He'd almost snatched her up himself when he walked in and saw the way she was gripping their son and the fear in his little eyes.

He tried to put himself in Courtney's shoes. He could imagine how difficult it was for her to go from WWE Diva's Champion to stay-at-home mom to their crazy kid. She did a good job. PJ was happy, healthy, and smart. She was just tired, and he knew it. He was tired too, though. Tired of fighting with her.

They still had their good moments.

Days when they would take PJ to the park. Nights when they would all three pile on the couch and watch some terrible kiddie movie neither of them had any interest in. Nights she would let him hold her. Nights when she wouldn't push him away. Nights when she wasn't too tired to let him remind her why they belonged together; how their bodies fit.

Those moments were few and far between for the most part but they kept him holding on. Those moments, his unconditional love for his girlfriend, and their child.

"Home sweet home." Phil fell onto the couch, kicking his feet up on the table. "Home sweet hell is more like it." He closed his eyes, massaging his temple. He already had a headache before he walked through his front door, but it was so much worse after his screaming match with Courtney.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and read the text message.

"_Guess who has business in Chicago?" _

Phil stared down at the phone. He couldn't believe it. This wasn't what he needed right now.

"_I thought I told you not to call or text me when I am at home with my family."_ He returned.

The phone buzzed again.

"_Well, if you change your mind, I am at the Hilton Garden on Grand for the night."_

He couldn't help but chuckle.

Of course she would stay at a hotel less than 5 minutes from his house. She knew it was inevitable. She knew he would fight with Courtney. She knew he would look to her for comfort, like he always did.

She had perfect timing too.

His thoughts went to his girlfriend and his son upstairs.

He felt bad for the things he did.

He couldn't help himself, though.

He had to go.

* * *

**Poor Courtney. So overwhelmed.**

**Isn't PJ the cutest, though?**

**Ooooh, Punk. What are you about to do?**

**Lemme know what you think! XD**


	2. Chapter 2

"Momma, are you mad at daddy?" PJ's sad eyes, peeked around the door leading in to Courtney and Phil's bedroom.

Courtney sat up on the bed and wiped the tears from her puffy, red eyes. "No, sweetheart." She sniffled. "I'm not mad at daddy." She reached out for her son.

PJ climbed up on to the bed and in to his mother's open arms. "Why do you yell at daddy, momma?" His soft, sad voice rocked her with guilt. She wished PJ didn't have to hear them fighting so often.

"Well, momma just threw a fit, baby." She pressed her lips against PJ's dark hair. He had his father's hair. A tousled dark brown mess on his little head. "You know how you stomp and fuss when you need a nap?"

PJ nodded.

"Just like that sweetheart."

"You were being a brat, momma." PJ stated. "Daddy says it's not nice to be a brat."

Just like Phil, PJ could always bring a smile to her face. He was like Phil in so many ways. He wore his heart on his sleeve just like Phil. You could always trust a child to tell the truth but PJ was especially honest. He spoke his mind just like his father. Even to tell his mother that she was being a brat.

"What?" She had to giggle. "Get outta here. Your daddy is a bigger brat than both of us. Nobody can throw a fit like daddy."

PJ shook his head. "That's not nice, momma." She took much delight in the seriousness of his little voice.

"I know, baby." She hugged him tight. "Momma is only playing. I love daddy very much. I love you very much. I love both my boys to the moon and I am sorry for yelling at both of you."

"I love you too, momma." PJ returned his mother's embrace. "I am sorry for being bad."

It was moments like this that made all of it worth it. All of his mischief. All of the bickering with Phil. It was all worth it to feel PJ's little arms around her neck.

"It's okay, baby." She gently rubbed the boy's back. "We'll try again tomorrow."

She regretted the way she talked to PJ earlier. He was such a sweet boy and he loved both his parents so much. She knew he didn't do these things to intentionally drive her nuts. Boys will be boys.

"I have an idea…" She wanted to make it up to him. "How about we go see if daddy wants to go see a movie?"

The little boy's face instantly lit up with excitement. "Batman, momma?"

"PJ…" A blissful smile spread across her face. "You took the words right out of my mouth."

Suddenly a quizzical look took hold of PJ's small face. "But daddy's gone, momma?" His little brow furrowed.

"Daddy's gone?" She asked. "Where?"

PJ shrugged.

That was odd. Phil never left the house without telling her where he was going. Even when they fought, he would call out that he was leaving. It was especially odd that he would leave the house right after he got home. All he ever wanted to do as soon as he got home was sit on the couch with PJ. He usually took care of any errands in the city before he came home.

She shook it off. After exploding on one another, he probably just needed a moment to breathe and clear his head. He probably took a walk.

"C'mon, PJ." She placed her son on the floor. "Go get your shoes on. We will just go without daddy and give him some time to himself after working so hard."

The little boy did as his mother told and ran from the room.

Courtney walked over to the window and gazed out into the city. She chewed on her lip as she wracked her brain for an explanation. It was so strange to her. Why would Phil just leave so suddenly? Even if they did fight, it wasn't normal behavior. He would never be ran out of his own house. There was a nagging in the pit of her stomach. Something wasn't right with the entire situation.

"C'mon, momma!" PJ yelled down the hall.

The bad feeling in her gut would have to wait.

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want to spend the night?" The raven-haired woman purred from her spot on the bed behind him.

Phil bent over, tying his shoe. "You know I can't do that. How would I explain that to Courtney?"

"Like she would care…" She grumbled.

"Stop." He shifted his weight on the edge of the bed to face her. "Don't give me those puppy-dog eyes. You knew exactly what you were getting in to."

He felt bad for her. He really did. She cared about him but it wasn't like that for him. She didn't mean anything to him. There were things he wasn't getting at home and she offered them to him. That was all she was, a filler. It was all she ever would be to him.

"Fine." She pursed her lips and tossed her head, her long hair flipping behind her shoulder. Only moments earlier, he'd been tangled in that hair. She had beautiful hair but it wasn't anything compared to Courtney's dark brown waves. He'd rather get lost in her tresses but she hardly ever bothered with him anymore. This would have to do.

"I don't know why you just don't leave her." She pulled the white sheets up, covering her shame. "You complain all the time about how much the two of you fight. She doesn't make you happy."

Phil stood from the bed and shook his head at the woman. "Don't do this to yourself, okay." He didn't want to hurt her feelings but he wouldn't lie to her. "I love Courtney. We've hit a rough patch but I'm not leaving her for you. It just isn't going to happen so get it out of your head."

He retrieved his keys and wallet from her bedside table. "I got to go. I haven't tucked my son in to bed for a month. I'd like to do that tonight so stop all of your bitching and moaning."

"Well…" She batted her big, dark doe eyes at him. "Can I at least get a kiss goodbye?" She pouted.

"Are you serious?" He scoffed. "No."

**_Flashback:_**

The memory was still vivid in his mind. The first time he was tempted by another woman. PJ was two and it was right after PJ's last birthday. Right about the time things began to go sour between him and Courtney. His contract was set to expire this year and Vince had approached him to renegotiate.

_"I don't think I want to sign again, Court." _Phil stood backstage talking to Courtney on his cell. _"Vince's offer is generous and we'd be set for life but they want three more years."_

_ "If they are making a good offer and you think it would be good for us as a family, why wouldn't you take it?"_

He'd been surprised by her response. After three years of caring for PJ alone and spending the long weeks apart, he figured she would be the first to tell him to take his ball and go home. _"We have enough money now between us that neither of us have to work again if we live responsibly, Court. I am sick of missing moments with PJ. Plus, I don't think my body can take much more of this. I want to be able to chase PJ in the park and not have to take a whole day to recover, Court." _He explained. _"I am burnt out on this, Courtney. I've done everything I want to do here. I am sick of traveling. I am sick of the politics. I am sick of working through the pain. I just want to be home with you and our son."_

Her snort of impatience took him by surprise. "You are so ungrateful." She snapped.

"What?" He stared down at the phone briefly to make sure he was talking to the right person. Why would Courtney say something like that to him?

_"You are ungrateful. I am the only who makes any sacrifices for this family. I gave up my dream three years ago to make a normal life for our son. Now, you can't sacrifice three more years to cement that life for him? I am so sick of listening to it Phillip. I would give anything to lace up your boots. Try slaving away every day at home and then tell me how sick you are of everything."_

She disconnected the call.

He stood there for a moment trying to make sense of what just happened between the two of them. Courtney had become increasingly short with him but he thought it was because she was so stressed at home. That was his main incentive for turning down another contract, to help her at home.

_"What do we have here?"_ Her voice stirred him from his thoughts.

_"What do you want?"_ He groaned. After Courtney's strange behavior and dealing with negotiations with Vince…he wasn't in the mood to be bothered.

_"We haven't talked in a while, Phillip."_ That devious little grin on her face irritated him on so many levels. _"Can't a girl just say hello?"_

He shook with dry laughter. _"No. There's always an angle with you. What do you want?"_

_"You're right."_ She smirked. _"You know me so well."_

Why did she insist on toying with people all the time? _"Get to your point." _He crossed his arms, impatient. _"Tell me what you want so I can tell you no and move on with my day."_

_"I was wondering…" _She bit her lip, twirling her dark hair around her finger. "_If you wanted to go for a coffee or something…maybe?" _

He couldn't believe the nerve of her. The woman truly was crazy. All he could do was laugh and shake his head. _"Are you forgetting something?"_

Her eyes went skyward for a moment while she searched her head for an answer. "_Ummmm."_ She pondered. "_Nope." _She shook her head, grinning.

_"Allow me to enlighten you." _He bent down to her level. _"I'll speak slowly for your feeble brain. I…have…a…**girlfriend**." _He emphasized the word.

His response amused the woman. _"Courtney?" _She snickered. _"Puh-lease." _She dismissed the reminder of his long-term committed relationship with the mother of his child. _"I hear things, Phil. I've heard you two bickering back and forth here lately. I've noticed how tense you are. You have a lot on your mind."_

She pressed her body against him, her hand resting on his chest. "_She isn't doing it for you anymore, is she?" _She stared up into his eyes, her gaze seductive.

He didn't react right away. He stared back into her eyes. How long had it been since Courtney looked at him like that? How long had it been since he felt wanted by her? He couldn't even remember the last time Courtney had touched him in any intimate fashion. The way this woman was touching him now.

It'd been so long since he felt this stirring in his stomach. He felt wanted. The look in her eyes told him all he needed to know. She was hungry for him. With all the stress he'd accumulated from the stress at home and work….he was tempted to fill that hunger for her.

But he didn't.

Not that day. He walked away that day. He couldn't do that to his family

He couldn't do that to Courtney.

A few more arguments and disconnected calls later, he wasn't so strong when the temptation presented itself.

Now, he found himself outside his front door, checking his body for any hints or anything that might indicate where he'd just left.

He checked himself for her smell. He made sure no stray hairs had found their way on his clothes. She knew better than to leave any marks but he'd already checked the mirror in her bathroom.

Courtney could never find out.

* * *

She was sitting on the couch when he walked through the door, lost in some chick flick.

"Hey, babe." He approached cautiously, worried she might not have recovered from her earlier mood.

He'd taken her by surprise but she seemed happy to see him. "Hey, hon." She smiled up at him. "Where were you? I took PJ to see the new Batman movie."

Satisfied that she was in a better mood, he sat down next to her on the couch. "Was it good?" He asked, purposely avoiding her question. He didn't want to dig his brain for an explanation.

"It was Batman." Courtney chuckled. "Of course PJ enjoyed it." She turned the television off and sat the remote on the coffee table, giving him her full attention. "We wanted you to go but you disappeared."

She didn't ask outright but he knew she wanted an answer. She wanted to know what had been so important that he couldn't be there to take their son to the movies with her

"I'm sorry, babe. I had to clear my head. I took a walk." He went to the obvious answer. A conclusion she'd likely drawn already. "I'll make it up to him tomorrow. The Cubs are playing at Wrigley. You know he loves going to the games." He attempted to change the subject.

"That's good and fine, Phil, but you haven't answered my question."

He held up his hands, feigning ignorance. "What?"

"Where did you go for four hours to clear your head, Phillip?"

"Oh, nowhere." He shrugged off her question. "I took a walk and decided to stop at Brainstorm to find something for P's birthday." A visit to his favorite comic book shop was a good excuse. She knew he could get lost for hours in those.

He could tell from the wry smile on her face that she wasn't convinced. "Phillip, PJ's birthday isn't for 6 months. I had to drag you by the ear to get his Christmas presents before Christmas Eve last year." She lifted her brow. "You expect me to believe you went to buy his birthday present 6 months in advance."

"It's a limited edition Lego Batman set they're only releasing 200 of them so I want to make sure I get him one." He surprised himself with his quick answer.

She wasn't going to relent. "That took four hours?"

"I checked a few other shops and then I stopped by my sisters.."

"Which one?" She tested him.

He ran a jerky hand through his hair. Panic began to flow through him. Why wouldn't she just let it go? She'd never questioned him like this about anything before.

"Fucking hell, Court. What's with the third degree?" He rolled his eyes, blowing out a noisy breath. "I stopped by Chaleen's. Would you like to call her so she can tell you the same?"

His stomach tightened. Why did he say that? Of course Chaleen wouldn't corroborate his story. He fixed his gaze on Courtney, praying she didn't call his bluff.

"No." His prayers were answered and a wave of relief washed over him. It felt like a thousand pounds had been lifted from his shoulders.

"That's not necessary. " Courtney answered. "I was just worried. You never leave the house without telling me and you never leave the house as soon as you get home from the road."

He scrambled his thoughts for a response. Why couldn't she just leave it alone? "I wanted to get the trip to the store out-of-the-way so I could spend the next three days with P and I didn't say anything because you were moping in the bedroom. I didn't think you would want to hear my voice." He took a deep breath, sucking his cheeks in. "Sooo.." He exhaled. "Anything else I can answer for you? Circumference of the sun? Meaning of life, perhaps?"

Courtney stared at him, her hazel eyes burning a hole into him. He fixed his eyes on hers, refusing to let her see him fumble. He could his heart pounding in his ears and his muscles tensed but he did not waver.

Finally, a warm smile slowly spread across her face. "I really did miss your smart-ass, Phillip." She scooted over next to him and laid her head on his shoulder, taking him by complete surprise. "I am sorry for how I acted earlier."

Phil wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her head. "It's okay, baby. I know how frustrated you get."

He was just relieved she finally bought his story and let it go.

"No, it's not okay." She sighed regretfully. "I complain about PJ's behavior but I swear I act worse than him at times."

A mischievous thought crossed Phil's brain, "Well…" He slowly ran his fingers up the length of her arm. "If you keep it up, I might have to put you over my knee like PJ."

"Oh, yeah." Courtney's eyes shined up at him. "If you are trying to discourage my bad behavior, you shouldn't make such promises." She teased. "Maybe that's my play? My gimmick?" She ran her tongue across her lips.

He was taken aback by her response. She must have been feeling really bad about her behavior. Still, it wasn't often she responded so well to his advances…even if he'd just left another woman….he wasn't going to deny the woman he loved. "Hey, baby." He held up his left hand, presenting the words tattooed on the back of it. "No gimmicks needed, sweetheart. Anytime you feel like you want a spanking from daddy…." He leaned his face in, inches from hers. Her lips were so close that he could taste them.

"….just ask." The words left his lips just as he grabbed her around the waist and tossed her across his lap. "How's this for an attitude adjustment?" A firm hand connected with her bottom.

Her squeals and laughter were like music to his ears. It'd been so long since they had a moment like this. So long since he'd seen a genuine smile on her face.

"Aaaaw, momma, what did you do?" PJ's voice interrupted their moment.

Courtney's eyes went wide, clearly embarrassed that their son was catching them in such a compromising position. "PJ." She gasped, trying to sit up from Phil's lap.

It was nothing for him to hold her there. "We'll finish this later." He whispered in her ear before turning his attention to PJ. "This is what happens when you have a bad attitude, P. Even momma gets whippings."

"No." PJ shook his head. "Momma is good, daddy. She let me watch Batman and eat Candy."

"What!?" Phil feigned surprise for his son's amusement. "Mom let you eat candy before we went to get pizza?"

The little boy began to bounce with excitement. "Pizza, daddy?"

"I was thinking…" Phil hesitated briefly…enjoying the anticipation building within the child. "Chuck E. Cheese?"

The little boy squealed at his father's suggestion.

It was PJ's favorite place.

"Phil." Courtney sat up on the couch. "It's almost 7 and Chuck E. Cheese is all the way over the bridge. By the time we get there, eat, and let him play….it will be way past his bedtime before we get home."

"Sh." He placed a finger on her lips. "He can stay up late tonight. We never spend time together as a family and, after today, I think we all could use it."

"Ok." Courtney didn't protest any further. "C'mon, P-man." She left her place from the couch and scooped up the boy. "It's a little chilly, let's go change you into some pants before we leave."

It was the first time Phil had felt content with his home life in a long time as he watched Courtney pack their son up the steps, both of them gleaming with excitement. They were his world. He would do anything for either of them. Give his life for them without question.

Then came the guilt when he thought back to where he'd just come from.

He was a terrible person.

What kind of man comes from another woman's bed and then takes his family for pizza?

He no longer felt excited about their night out as a family or anticipated a moment alone with Courtney after they put their son to bed.

All he felt was complete and utter guilt and contempt for himself.

He was a piece of shit.

* * *

**Please, do not run me out of town with your torches and pitchforks yet.**


	3. Chapter 3

**First, I want to thank all of you who have read so far. I know, it is a slow start but I promise that things are about to get good. Just got to get past this build-up. Thank you for reading and your continued support.**

* * *

There was always one question that haunted Phil his entire teenage and adult life. One thing that baffled him completely. One mystery he would never understand.

How could someone have a child and not want to give them everything? How someone could live as if their child isn't their world? How a parent could have a child and not fully devote their life to them?

Growing up, watching his parents give everything to his brother, the brother that robbed him, and being shoved to the side completely….he asked himself these questions every day.

His parent's treatment of him was the reason he never wanted children. The reason he avoided the idea of fatherhood like the plague. He couldn't count on two hands how many times his ex, Amy, had brought up the idea of kids and he shot her down.

He couldn't bear the idea of putting a child through the things his father put him through. The neglect. The indifference. He was so sure it was in his genes.

He'd taken every precaution to make sure it never happened.

Then he met a woman who completely wiped him of all his senses and he slipped up. Only once.

Once is all it takes.

He never understood his parents or the things they did, better yet, didn't do. He accepted it but he never stopped asking himself these questions.

Especially now, moments like this, as he watched his son climb his tiny frame into the twin bed clothed in a black and yellow Batman comforter set.

He adored the little boy. He was his world. He would give the kid anything and everything he asked for without question. He never thought he could love anything more than wrestling, not even Courtney.

Then he held his son for the first time.

"Did you have fun tonight, P?" Phil asked, taking a seat next to his son on the bed.

"Yes, daddy." PJ nodded with a yawn.

Phil placed a hand on his son's head and left it there. "Good." He smiled down at the boy. "I'm sorry I missed the movie with you and mom." The guilt of his afternoon romp was still with him.

He was distracted the entire time they were out. He played with his son and he tried to be excited but the knots were there in his stomach. It was a good thing he didn't eat pizza or Courtney would have noticed his loss of appetite.

"It's okay, daddy." PJ replied. "Momma said you're tired from work."

"Dad's never too tired for you, P." The little boy's words pained him. Hit him right where his heart would be if he had one. If there was anything there….it had to be frozen. Only a cold person would let their son think he was too tired to enjoy any moment with him while he was really laid up with another woman.

"Do you have to go back to work, daddy?" PJ sat up in the bed and latched onto Phil, resting his head on Phil's chest. "I miss you when you go to work."

Phil held the boy close. "I miss you too, P." He tried to hide the pain in his shaking voice.

The only thing that caused him more guilt than his affair was leaving his son. He did it for PJ and Courtney but he hated to watch himself leaving in his son's sad eyes. He hated the tears shed when he left. Hated that he missed so many moments. First steps. First words. He'd probably miss the boy's first day of pre-school coming up.

"I want you to stay with me and momma, daddy."

Phil kissed the top of PJ's head. "I wish I could stay with you and mom, kiddo, but dad has to make money to take care of you and mom."

"Nuh-uh, daddy." PJ pulled away from his dad. "We're rich." The little boy shook his head, eyes and mouth wide with excitement. "That means we have lots of money.

Phil chuckled at the kid's enthusiasm. "Where did you get that?"

"Aunt Nikki." PJ stated. "She told momma that you should buy us a real house because you're rich and you have lots of money."

Of course Nikki would say something so shallow. He and Nikki had made up the day PJ was born, at least they were civil, but the woman could still get under his skin. PJ loved his _'Aunt Nikki' _but he wished she wouldn't instill such superficial ideas in the boy's ever absorbent mind.

"Aunt Nikki is full of shit." The words escaped his lips without a thought of his son's virgin ears. "Don't repeat that." He quickly added. "Our home is fine."

He was sure the Diva meant well. A loft in downtown Chicago probably wasn't the best place to raise a kid. It definitely wasn't a palatial mansion like John's home but it was paid for and it held a lot of memories. His son was conceived there. It was where he brought his son home. It was more than a piece of real estate.

"Do you have a lot of money, daddy?" PJ's head tilted with curiosity. "If you have lots of money then you can stay with me and momma."

"Alright, P." Phil pulled the comforter back on the bed. "Lay down." He patted the boy's pillow.

PJ did as Phil said and slid out of his father's lap into the waiting sheets.

"Don't worry about all that stuff, PJ." He situated the blankets around his son's shoulders. "It's way past your bedtime. Get some sleep." He kissed the boy's forehead. "Dad has a surprise for you tomorrow."

"I love you, daddy." PJ said softly, drifting off to sleep.

Phil turned on the night-light by PJ's bed. "I love you too, champ." He returned before flipping the light switch and leaving the door cracked behind him as he stepped out of the room into the hall.

Out of his son's sight, Phil sank down against the wall outside his son's door, overcome with all the emotions he'd hidden from PJ. "Shit." He sighed, using the hem of his t-shirt to wipe the tears forming in his eyes.

"What's wrong, babe?" Courtney was standing in their doorway at the end of the hall, her brow wrinkled in concern.

He wasn't sure if it was all the emotion from his conversation with PJ but, in that moment, the regret, guilt, and sadness was stabbing him in his gut harder than before.

Her brown hair was piled into a bun on top of her head and she was dressed in a pair of his black gym shorts and a white tank top that fit snugly against her slim frame. The ease of her pose and the grace of her silhouette…she would always be the most beautiful sight in his eyes. The mother of his child. The love of his life. She was right.

He was selfish.

She sacrificed so much for him and their son. She'd given up her life-long dream so his child could have a somewhat normal life. How did he repay her?

He slept with another woman behind her back and left her home alone with their rambunctious son for weeks at a time.

"I'm fine, Court." He lied.

"You're crying, Phil." She pointed out. "Why?"

Phil stood from the floor and walked over to her, pulling her into his arms. He held her tight, taking in the floral smell of her damp hair and the softness of her freshly washed skin. "Courtney." He cleared his throat in preparation for the words about to leave his mouth.

"We need to talk."

* * *

**Aww...Punk and little PJ are so presh. Are they not?**

**Question? Is anyone else wondering who this mystery woman of Punk's is? Any ideas? Anyone?**

**I wonder what Punk has to say to Court? Do you think he's gonna come clean?**

**Thank you guys for reading! Be sure to tell me what you think. Liked it? Tell me. Didn't like it? Tell me. I love reading all of your thoughts and responses.**


	4. Chapter 4

"We need to talk."

Her stomach dropped with the manifestation of dread when he spoke those words. The tears in his eyes, their recent string of arguments, and the way he was holding her...she just knew what he was going to say.

He was going to leave her and she didn't blame him. Her recent behavior was nothing but atrocious. Had she really expected everything to just be normal after one small apology?

Sure. They had one good moment that evening but she knew it wasn't enough to erase the last 6 months of hell.

Phil was distracted the entire time they were out with PJ. For the sake of their son, she didn't say anything but she noticed how he didn't eat. She noticed how his usually piercing green eyes were now flat and brooding. His strained smile as he put on a show of excitement for PJ's entertainment. When he wasn't staring into space, lost in whatever consumed his mind, his gaze was flitting around the restaurant, never settling on any person or object for long.

Something was bothering him. Something weighed heavily on his mind.

Of course, he waited for PJ to go to bed. The boy had witnessed enough of their turmoil.

"Okay." She buried her face in his chest, taking in the smell and warmth of him. If this was going to be the last time he held her, she would make every second count. "Tell me what you think we need to talk about."

"I think..." Phil paused with a deep breath that tortured Courtney.

_Just say it, Phillip. Hurry up. _

The cracks were forming with every second that passed. She just needed to hear the words before she could allow her heart to break.

"I think you and PJ should come with me when I leave."

Her knees gave way beneath her, she collapsed into his chest as the full force of his words hit her. She made no attempt to fight the tears pouring from her as her world collapsed around her.

Wait.

She'd been so convinced, so sure that he was about to leave her. She had already prepped herself for the imminent heartbreak and devastation that she didn't take in the words that actually left Phil's mouth.

"You mean..." She looked up at Phil, shaking her head. "You mean...you're not leaving me?"

"No." The bemused grin on his face relieved her body of all the tension it had built. "Is that what you thought this was?"

Courtney nodded.

Phil immediately burst into laughter. "That's absurd." He chuckled.

A slow smile spread on Courtney's face. She felt stupid but the relief was welcome.

"You are silly, Court." Phil kissed the top of her head. "I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart. Haven't you realized that by now?"

She didn't answer him. She just curled into his chest happy her worst nightmare hadn't come true. The one time Phil had left her almost ruined her. She wasn't sure she would be strong enough for herself, for PJ, if it ever happened again.

They fought. They bickered. He could get under her skin like nobody ever did. He knew how to push her buttons and he could be a rotten jerk most of the time. He was her rotten jerk, though. He was her everything. Their family was her world.

The recent bump in their relationship was her fault. She knew that. Her bad attitude. Her stress. Her resentment of Phil still living out her dream. Her impatience with PJ. All of it was her.

She would change. She wouldn't risk losing her family...losing Phil. She would do whatever it took to save their relationship.

Even if it meant taking their boisterous son on a cramped bus for a week or so.

Maybe it was exactly what their family needed...

* * *

"Why was Uncle John hitting daddy, momma?" PJ sat on his knees in the middle of Phil's locker room, preoccupied with rolling a large toy fire truck around the floor. "I thought they were friends and you told me that you don't hit friends."

"They are friends, PJ." Courtney explained as she went around the room gathering PJ's cup and other necessities into his bag. "Daddy wrestles. You know what wrestling is, PJ. Sometimes daddy has to wrestle his friends."

She and PJ had just returned from watching Phil and John Cena's match on the monitors down the hall. To her surprise, PJ was well-behaved the entire time. He didn't squirm, fidget or wander off. He'd been content to sit on Nikki's lap and watch the match with both with them.

Phil was right about joining him on the road. They'd only been traveling for three days now but it had been good for them. Despite her initial hesitation and fears, PJ was taking very well to traveling. On the bus, backstage, at the airport...he'd been the perfect child. She assumed it was the extra time he was spending with Phil. She was starting to think that his acting out at home was just his way of coping with the absence of his world, his father.

"Can we go see Uncle John, momma?"

"Not tonight, PJ." She answered. "It's late. We're not even going to wait on dad to get back, sweetheart. We're going back to the bus so you can get to bed."

PJ's shoulders slumped with disappointment. "Alright, momma." He sighed.

It probably would hurt anything if they did stop to catch John coming backstage from the match, but, just as the trip had been good for PJ's behavior...it'd been equally as good for her and Phil's relationship and she was anxious to get their boy to bed so they could spend some time together once he showered and made it back to the bus.

"Hey, Sweets, are you in here?" The raven-haired Diva that Courtney recognized as up-and-comer, Paige, came sweeping through the door.

"Can I help you, chick?"

The girl was already pale but what little color she did have left her face at the sight of Courtney. "Oh, you're here." The girl's fingers touched her lips parted in surprise.

"Uh, yes." Courtney stared at the girl incredulously. "This is my boyfriend's dressing room. Are you lost, sweetheart?"

"No. I'm-"

"Daddy!" Courtney didn't get to hear Paige's response. She was cut-off by PJ squealing in delight of his father's arrival to the tense situation.

Phil cast one side-long glance in Paige's direction and then turned his attention to the confusion on his girlfriend's face. "Hey, babe." He walked over and placed a quick kiss on Courtney's face. "What's going on?"

Courtney kept her eyes on Paige who had her eyes on Phil. "You're guess is as good as mine."

"This is, uh,.." Phil fumbled over the words. "This is Paige, she just got called up from development a few weeks ago."

"I am well aware who she is, Phillip." Courtney said, crossing her arms. "I want to know why she is waltzing into your locker room looking for someone by the name of Sweets."

"Well, babe, I am sure this is just a misunderstanding."

Courtney stared down her nose at Paige. "Is that what you were about to say, Paige? Are you in the wrong room, sweetheart?"

She didn't like the way the young girl was staring at Phil. It was like nothing else existed to her in the room. Her previously pale cheeks were flushed. Her dark, smokey eyes shined with what Courtney would swear was desire. The girl bit down on a smile as she gazed at the man, sweaty and winded from his recent match.

"PAIGE." Courtney leaned forward, speaking into the girl's face. "Were you about to say that you were lost? This is a misunderstanding?"

"Oh, uh, oh." Paige finally responded, turning her attention to Courtney. "I'm sorry. That is exactly what I was about to say." Courtney didn't like the cheeky grin on Paige's face. "I must've walked into the wrong room."

"You see, Court." Phil spoke up. "It's nothing. I'm not the _Sweets _she's looking for."

Despite Paige's reassurance that it had all been an accident, Courtney was wary of the situation. She wasn't comfortable with the way the girl seemed mesmerized by Phil. She also didn't like the antsy vibe that was radiating from Phil.

"Everything is fine, babe. Take PJ and get him ready for bed. I'm right behind you."

"Okay." Courtney nodded, taking PJ's hand in hers.

"I'll see you in a bit, love." He kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, kiddo. I'll see you in the morning." He ruffled a hand in PJ's hair.

Why was Paige still there? If this wasn't the room she was looking for? Shouldn't she be off looking for this random _Sweets_ of hers?

Courtney was uneasy with walking out of the room and leaving Phil alone with the strange girl, but PJ was yawning and rubbing his eyes. If there was more to this, she would delve into it later. PJ was her priority and she didn't want to deal with the fit he would throw if he got too tired and grumpy.

"Nice to meet you, Paige." Courtney extended a hand to the girl. "I'm sure I will see you around. PJ and I plan to be on the road with _our _guy for a while." Courtney marked her territory to the young Diva before leading her son to the door.

"Phil, honey." She stopped before walking out the door. "Would you care to just get your stuff and shower on the bus? I was hoping we could get into Orlando early enough to take PJ to see mom and dad before the show." She lied. She had no intentions beforehand of taking PJ to see his grandparents or even letting them know she would be in town. She just didn't care for the idea of Phil alone with the girl.

Phil smiled. "Yeah, babe. Just go ahead and I'll be right there."

As much as she didn't like it, Courtney left the room. The last thing she wanted was to fight with Phil or make him think she didn't trust him.

She did.

It was Paige that rubbed her the wrong way.

* * *

"Are you fucking stupid?" Phil grabbed the girl by her wrist. "What the hell was that?"

Paige yanked her arm back. "How was I supposed to know that you had your family with you?" She rubbed her wrist. "You haven't returned any of my calls or texts since Chicago."

He didn't mean to handle her so roughly but he was incensed. He and Courtney were finally starting to get things together between the two of them. The last thing he needed was her catching wind of his relationship with Paige. She wasn't dumb. Far from it. Courtney was very intuitive and he wouldn't be able to keep the secret long if Paige was doing stupid shit like this.

"Of course not, Paige!" He returned sharply. "I am with my family!"

"For how long?" She asked. "I miss you..." She came to lean against him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Phil peeled her from him. "I don't know, Paige. As long as they want."

"What about me?" Paige crossed her arms, pouting.

"What about you?" He bit. "Get it through your head, Paige. Whatever this is between us...doesn't mean anything to me." He began to gather his things to head to the bus. He didn't want Courtney to come looking for him and find Paige still there. He could tell she wasn't entirely convinced when she left and he didn't want anymore questions. "You don't mean anything to me, Paige.. In fact, I planned on telling you that this, us. It's over. If I am going to make things work with Courtney, I can't see you anymore."

The girl was incessant. "Now, now, we both know that isn't true." She hugged herself against him from behind. "I know you care about me, Phillip. I know you love me, my Superman."

His skin tightened, flesh crawling, at her touch. He hated when she did this. "First of all, I don't love you, Paige." He recoiled from her embrace. "All you ever were was easy to me. Get it?" He hated being so harsh on the young woman but sometimes the truth was hard-hitting. "You were easy for me during a hard time. I have no attachment to you. No concern for you at all. You don't mean shit to me, Paige." He slung his bag over his shoulder and shoved past her.

"Secondly.." He stopped short of the door and turned to Paige. "I'm a Batman fan."

With those words, he turned and left Paige in the room.

He meant what he said. He was done with her. He hated that she got so attached, that was never the plan, but he had to focus on him and his family. She was just collateral damage. If fixing things with Courtney meant Paige had to get hurt in the process...

….he was fine with that.

* * *

**You all thought it was AJ? Really? Do you all think I am that predictable?**

**I wonder if Courtney is going to let this go so easily?**

**I wonder if Paige is going to let Punk go so easily?**

**Hmmmm.**

**Hope you all enjoyed. I want to thank Devata for being my muse, sounding board, and inspiration.**

**Thank you to MulishaMaiden, AngelVanguard, & Kimbery316 for their reviews. I love hearing what you guys think!**


	5. Chapter 5

"I don't know, Brie." Courtney's fingers tapped her chin as she sat in the back booth of an Orlando diner and recounted the events of the previous night to the Bellas. "It just seemed strange. Paige and Phil both insisted that it was a mistake but I didn't like the way she was looking at him."

"What are you saying?" Nikki sat across from Courtney. "Do you think she and Phil have something going on?"

"I honestly don't know what to think, Nicole." She shrugged. "I tried to let it go but I've thought about it all night. Phil has acted weird lately and he was acting so antsy when he saw the two of us together."

Brie took a quick sip of her orange juice and sat the glass back on the table. "What do you mean? How has he been acting weird?"

"Well.." Courtney lowered her voice, leaning in over the table so only the twins could hear her. The last thing she wanted was some random stranger to hear their conversation and have to read about it out of context on some ignorant wrestling blog. "The other day he disappeared for four hours. Said he was out looking for PJ's birthday present-"

"PJ's birthday isn't for six months." Nikki interjected.

Courtney tossed her hands up. "Exactly. We all know how he hates to shop. I buy and wrap every present this man ever gets for anybody and he just slaps his name on it."

"So, he disappeared in Chicago for a few hours? Paige lives in Florida." Brie was always the voice of reason. "He loves that city. I think it is a legitimate possibility that he just wandered off and lost track of time. You did say you guys fought that afternoon."

Brie was right. It was normal for Phil to take off on a walk or a run when they had a screaming match like that day. It also made sense that he could have lost track of time if he decided to stop in to the comic book store, music store, or a friend's house. He didn't get much time for his interests outside of wrestling when he was on the road. Still, it wasn't sitting right in the bottom of Courtney's stomach. She couldn't even eat. Her egg-white omelet sat untouched in front of her.

"I don't know, girls." Courtney spoke with an uncertain tone. "Something isn't right. I can feel it in my gut." She wrapped her arm around her own abdomen.

Brie reached over the table and placed a reassuring hand on Courtney's arm. "Talk to him, Court." She stated firmly. "Maybe something is going on but it doesn't necessarily mean that he is cheating on you."

"Yeah." Nikki added. "Never ignore a gut feeling, but never believe that it's enough."

Courtney was glad she decided to leave PJ with Phil at the arena and have breakfast with the girls. They always knew exactly what to say to her. They were right, she should talk to him before she jumped to any conclusions. She did have a terrible habit of reading too deeply into situations. It was very possible that all the stress mounting on him from balancing work and their family was just affecting him and, rather than talk to Courtney, he internalized it like everything else.

But that didn't explain the vibes she'd gotten from Paige and him the night before.

"However, I think now is the perfect time to put little miss Paige in her place for the way she was drooling over your man." Nikki's voice pulled Courtney from her thoughts.

"Huh?" Courtney shook her head slightly. "What are you talking about?"

Brie nodded to the door. "Look who just walked in.."

Paige has just walked into the bustling diner. Her dark hair up in a neat, high pony tail on her head, she was dressed in a midriff bearing purple tube top and black leather pants snug against her fit, young body.

If her boyfriend was boinking the chick behind her back, Courtney gave him props. The chick was smoking hot. Courtney's thoughts when down to her own stomach. Still thin, she wasn't as toned as she was during her wrestling days and pregnancy had left her skin marked.

"I think she is coming this way." Nikki mumbled.

Nikki was right. Paige's eyes lit up at the sight of the three women seated in the corner.

"Just the woman I was looking for." Paige's attention was on Courtney as she walked up to the edge of the table.

"How can we help you, Paige?" Brie smiled but didn't hide the annoyance in her voice.

Paige kept her eyes on Courtney. "Actually, I just need to talk to Courtney about our run-in last night." She dismissed the twins.

"Yes." Courtney locked eyes with Paige. "I was thinking the exact same thing."

Paige placed her hands on her hips and straightened her back.

Was she trying to intimidate her?

"Phillip didn't think last night was the proper time to tell you but I think it's best for all of us if we just get this over with." Paige spoke with a matter-of-fact tone.

"What are you talking about, Paige?" Courtney glanced over at the twins. Both of them had their eyes on Paige, just as eager as Courtney to see what the young girl had to say. "You said last night was a misunderstanding. You walked into the wrong locker room?"

Paige sat down in the booth next to Courtney and took the woman's hands in her own. "There's no easy way to tell you this, Courtney." The Brit sighed regretfully. "Phillip and I? Well, we're in love and he's leaving you."

Courtney could hear both the Bellas gasp in disbelief at what Paige has just said. Courtney couldn't say anything. Her thoughts were scrambling to understand what she'd just heard.

"I'm sorry, Paige." A nonplussed smile was all Courtney could muster across her features. "I swear it sounds like you just said my boyfriend of nearly four years and father of my son is in love with you."

Paige shrugged. "That's about right. We've been together behind your back for about 6 months now."

"What the hell are you talking about, bitch?" Nikki snapped from across the table. "What the hell would Phil want with an inexperienced, stringy-haired, pale-skinned tramp like yourself?"

Courtney jerked her hand back from Paige. "Are you saying you've been sleeping with my boyfriend!?" She knocked the girl out of the booth and onto her ass with one hard shove.

It all made sense now. The incident the night before. Phil disappearing. The weight she'd noticed on his mind. He was cheating on her.

"I know this is hard for you to hear." Paige was nonchalant as she stood and dusted herself off. "Phil had too much pride to tell you himself. Which is understandable. I can't imagine how hard it would be for him to look you in the eyes and tell you he doesn't want to be with you and little Phillip anymore."

By this point, the entire diner was fixed on the scene between the two women in the corner. "Don't you dare speak my son's name you ignorant whore!" Courtney slid out of the booth, muscles quivering. Rage flowed through her body at the nerve of this girl.

"You shouldn't be so quick to anger, Courtney." Page advised. "That is what got you into this situation. Your bad attitude is what pushed my darling, Phillip, right into my arms."

Courtney wanted to reach out and snatch the bitch by the hair on her head. Stomp her in to a puddle of black and purple on the floor of the diner. She didn't. Despite her grinding teeth and speeding pulse, she didn't. She was angry. Livid. She was also too shocked to move. This was nothing she ever expected from Phil. A man who prided himself on his strong moral compass. A man who promised he'd never mistreat her. A man who let her believe for the last six months that she was the reason for all of their relationship problems while he was out fucking this pretty, young thing.

"Calm down, Court." Brie's hand was on Courtney's shoulder. "We don't know she is telling the truth. Why would Phil cheat on you with her?"

"I guess it's because I have more, ah, drive than you." Paige smirked, clearly referring to the ten-year age difference between the women. "He also says I'm a tad less bitchy."

Anger clouded her mind. Without a thought to the consequences or the eyes of the diner's patrons, Courtney rose her hand back and threw it forward with all her strength, whipping it across Paige's face. The crack of skin contacting skin echoed off the walls. Vibrations of pain started in her palm and spread all the way to her finger tips. Courtney's palm was bright red, the same red mark that matched the one on the ghostly white face of the Diva.

"You bitch." Page growled and lunged for Courtney but was met by Nikki shoving her back against the counter.

"You got thirty seconds to get your skinny ass out of this diner before I show you a bitch, sweetheart." Nikki cautioned her.

Paige glared at the women with flared nostrils and narrowed eyes but she didn't protest. "That's fine." She sneered.

"I did what I came here to do."

* * *

"Daddy! Daddy!" PJ tugged at Phil's pant leg. 'Daddy!"

"Give me a sec, P." Phil shook the boy's hands off the leg of his jeans. "Dad's working." He informed his son, keeping his attention on the member of the creative team pitching some terrible idea in front of him. He wouldn't go for it, never did, but was always kind enough to pretend he gave a shit.

"The boy huffed with impatience. "Daddy." This time grabbing Phil's arm. "Listen." He shook.

It would be easier to just let PJ speak his mind and then talk to the staff member. The kid was as stubborn as him. "I'm sorry." Phil held a hand up. "Let me see what my boy wants."

The guy seemed a bit peeved by Phil's hand in face, interupting him mid-sentence but Phil didn't care. His son couldn't wait and he really couldn't care less about the guy's shitty idea.

"What. is it, PJ?" Phil asked, kneeling to the boy's level.

"I don't want a new momma, daddy." PJ stated firmly.

Phil took a moment to process the words that left his son's mouth. The kid came up with some off the wall stuff but this wasn't anything he ever expected out of the kid's mouth. "What?" Phil tilted his head in confusion at PJ's statement. "P-man, why would you think you would get a new momma?"

PJ was clearly upset by the idea. Tears pooled in his eyes. "That woman said she was my new momma." PJ's voice shook, barely covering the sob about to break out. "I don't want a new momma, daddy."

Phil knew immediately what was going on.

Fucking Paige.

"Come here, PJ." Phil pulled his son into his arms. "Don't worry about that." He pressed his lips against his son's hair. "Nobody can ever replace your momma."

This was the last straw. He'd tolerated her never-ending barrage of calls and text messages. Her obsessive voice mails. Following him around and making his life hell was one thing. He brought it on himself.

His family, his son, was innocent and off-limits.

She would regret even looking at PJ.

* * *

After asking Kofi to sit on the bus with PJ for a few minutes, he found her coming through the parking lot.

"What the hell is the matter with you!?" He yelled, shoving her into a nearby vehicle and pinning her against it. "Who do you think you are telling my son that ignorant bullshit, Paige!" He shouted inches from the girls face.

Paige wasn't phased by his violent and uncontrolled anger in the slighted. "It's the truth, baby." Her ice-cold eyes didn't so much as blink. 'We're going to be together. You, me, and little Phillip."

"You. Stay. Away. From. My. Son." He jabbed a finger in her face. "Stay away from my family, Paige. We are done!'

He let her go and turned to leave the situation. He would never raise a hand to a woman. It wasn't the way he was raised and he cared about too many women in his life. Not to mention all the shit Randy had put Courtney through. He wasn't a spineless coward like the man that had tried to end her life and the life of his son. Paige, though, she had this terrible effect on him. She filled him with a pure and unadulterated anger. Her delusions and her nerve. It was better for him to just walk away before he did something he would later regret.

"It's okay, Phillip. We can be together now." She sang from behind him. "I've fixed everything."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" He turned back to her. "What the fuck did you fix, Paige?" Phil asked, inching back towards her. His chest tightened at the thought of the words about the leave the young woman's mouth.

She was crazy and he would put nothing past her.

Paige was shining with self-satisfaction. "I told Courtney the truth about us." His worst fear was brought to fruition. She threw herself against him, wrapping her arms around his torso. She closed her eyes, beaming with pride. "She's out of the way so we can be together, right?" The girl was all but jumping up and down with excitement.

Phil didn't move. He couldn't even think. He felt physically ill. He didn't even bother to try peeling Paige from him. Clearly, any damage had already been done. He believed Paige. Telling Courtney was something she would definitely do. Especially if she thought Courtney was in the way...which she probably did after their confrontation the night before.

"Shit..." It was the only word that could escape his disbelieving mind. "I gotta find Courtney." He finally shoved Paige off of him.

"Would you ask her to please hurry and get her stuff off the bus?" Paige was shaking with glee. "I want to hurry up and start our life together now that she is out of the way."

Phil stared at the girl in disbelief. "You stupid bitch." He shook his head. "You don't get it, do you?"

"What?" Paige frowned.

"I have to find Courtney so I can fix the damage you've done." He informed her. "I am not leaving her for you, Paige! I don't want you, Paige! You are not nor will you ever be anything to me, Paige!"

He didn't stick around for the delusional girl's response. He turned on his heels and retreated back to the arena. He had to find Courtney.

He had to find her and explain. It was time to tell the truth.

Maybe, just maybe, if he came clean and explained...he could still save his family.

* * *

**Oh no! Paige! What have you done?**

**The girl is crazy!**

**I wonder how Courtney will react to Punk?**

**Hope you enjoyed! Tell me what you think.**


	6. Chapter 6

The ride from the diner back to Amway Center was the longest ride of her life or so it felt. She had to find Phil. She didn't know how she would act when she did. Would she give him a chance to explain? If he denied it, would she believe him? Would she immediately rip him a new one? She didn't know. She had so many emotions running through her mind, anger was at the forefront of them. He betrayed her trust. Insulted her intelligence. Disrespected their family and the life they'd built together. He had spat on her and every sacrifice she'd made for him and their son.

If it was true.

There was still the possibility that Paige was just lying to come between Courtney and Phil.

She didn't know how she would react but she knew she wouldn't...not until it came from Phil's mouth.

"Where is he?" Courtney walked onto the bus to the scene of Kofi and PJ watching one of PJ's tapes they brought to keep him entertained on the long rides.

"I couldn't tell you, Court." Kofi answered. "He asked me to sit with little P here about 30 minutes ago and still hasn't come back."

PJ hopped down from Kofi's lap and ran over to his mother. "I know, momma!" He tugged at the hem of her Ramone's tank top. "I know! He went to go find that _dumb bitch_"

"Phillip Jack!" She gasped at her son's coarse language. "Don't you ever repeat those words again." She knelt in front of her son. "Do you understand me?" She placed stern hands on his shoulders.

PJ's little shoulder's shrugged. 'That's what daddy called her." He informed her. "She said she was my new momma."

So Courtney hadn't been the only one of the receiving end of Paige's streak of crazy that morning. The fact that Paige had been near and even spoken to her son made her ill.

"You aren't getting a new momma, PJ." Courtney assured her son. "That woman is just silly, ok?"

So, Phil had gone to find Paige. He was probably with her at that very moment. If so, he probably knew by now about Paige and Courtney's confrontation. A disgusted snort escaped Courtney's chest at the thought of him licking the poor girl's wounds.

"You want me to sit with him a bit longer while you go find Phil?" Kofi offered. "It's not a big deal. I love the kid and he has the best cartoons."

Courtney stood from her spot in front of PJ. "I appreciate the offer, Kofi." Her smile was actually sincere.

She liked Kofi. He was a smart and sweet guy. She and Phil probably would have been lost without him the first few weeks of PJ's life. She couldn't remember how many times Phil had called Kofi at some awkward hour of the night to get his or his wife's advice. _How to get PJ to stop crying? Was his poop supposed to be that color? Is it normal for the kid to projectile vomit green mush down the front of his dad?_ Yes, those first few weeks would have been terrible without the parenting knowledge of Kofi and his wife.

"It's not necessary, though." She finished. "I am sure Phil will be back soon."

"Alright." Kofi nodded. "Let me know if you guys need anything." He patted PJ's head. "Catch you later, Little P."

She and PJ didn't have to wait long for Phil's return. It felt like she'd just sent PJ to play in the back and sat down at the table to gather her thoughts when she heard the door open.

"Kofi.." Her heart stopped at the sound of his voice. This was that breathless moments before the floor falls out from underneath you. That precarious dangling in the purgatory where you at once want to find something — anything — to justify your gnawing suspicions, and you want to be relieved with a realization that it was all in your head.

"Have you seen..." The widening of his eyes when he saw her told her all she needed to know. "...Courtney..."

"Phillip." She took in a deep breath.

He immediately rushed over and fell to his knees in front of her, taking her hands into his. "I know that you know, Courtney."

"Yes." She swallowed hard, choking down a sob. "I already know. She told me. I was just hoping that you would tell me it wasn't true."

Phil didn't look up at her. "Court..."

"Phillip." She said softly, taking his chin and lifting his face to look at her. "Tell me it isn't true.." She begged of him.

He offered her no words. His watery green eyes sent her nothing but a long, pained look before he broke eye contact. At least he wasn't lying to her.

"So..so...so.." Her mouth opened but she couldn't form the words. "You've been cheating on me?" The words felt like a strong punch to the gut when she finally mustered them. "With Paige?" She clutched her ill stomach.

"I'm so sorry, Court." He laid his head in her lap. "It was a stupid mistake. It didn't mean anything."

If he was trying to make her feel better, it wasn't working. _It didn't mean anything? _In other words, he was saying that he murdered them, murdered their family over something that meant _nothing _to him. What did that say about the value he place on her and his son if he was willing to risk it all over _nothing._

"Why?" She asked. "What did I do to deserve this?"

Phil finally pulled himself up on to the seat next to her. "Court.." He wiped his tear-soaked face with the sleeve of his hoodie. "The last six months have been pretty terrible between us with all the fighting and stress-"

"Stress?" She scoffed. "You aren't really going to try to throw this on stress, are you?"

"Courtney, I-"

"No!" She shouted, standing from her seat. "Fuck you, Phillip! I can live with a cheater but I can't live with a coward. Own up to it! You don't get to put this on stress."

She began to pace erratically in front of him. "You don't think I've been stressed? Hm? I gave up all I ever wanted in this world, my career, to stay home and slave away. Cooking. Laundry. Bills. Our stubborn son. All stress! Do you know how many times I cheated on you?" She challenged him."

He started to say something but, at this point, she didn't want to hear another lame excuse.

"NONE!" She shouted. "Not fucking once!

All of her earlier despair had given way to complete and total scorn for the man sitting in front of her.

"Tell me something, Phil." She stared him down as she loomed over him. "When you disappeared the other day at home, were you with her?"

"Don't do this to yourself, Courtney." Phil stood. "You don't need all the sordid details."

He reached for her but the thought of his hands, the hands that explored the body of that pale, young wench, made her sick. She wanted to vomit at the thought of him ever touching her again.

"DONT FUCKING TOUCH ME!" She backed away from him. "KEEP YOUR CHEATING HANDS OFF OF ME!"

Phil was undeterred by her rage. He stepped towards her cautiously. "Courtney, babe, calm down. Where's PJ?"

"Don't you say his name!" She grabbed his headphones off the table behind and flung them at his head.

"Court!" He dodged them just in time for them to miss his head and bounce off the window behind him. "What the fuck? Throwing shit? Really?"

Nothing but anger and adrenaline pumped through her veins. She wanted to hurt him. She wanted to throw things. She fed into the anger because it comforted her. If she stopped being angry that would mean she had to feel the real undercurrent of her anger: her pain. She wasn't ready for that. He'd made a fool of her for the last six months. She would be damned if she let this man see her cry over him.

"Fuck you, Phil!" She screamed, this time heaving a bottle of whatever pureed shit he was drinking that day.

He dodged it too. The cap to the bottle popped off, splattering the orange mush all over the wall.

"Fuck you! Fuck you! I hate you!" She lost all control. Rage pouring out of her, throwing any and every object she get her hands on towards him.

Suddenly, PJ's frightened cries echoed behind her.

"Would you stop!?" Phil shouted at her, lifting the wailing toddler into his arms. "You're scaring the shit out of PJ."

The toddler wrapped his small arms around his father, burying his face in Phil's neck for comfort

"It's alright, little dude." Phil spoke softly as he gently patted the little boy's back. "Momma's just upset with Dad."

"PJ and I are leaving!" She snatched PJ from Phil's arms. "You don't tell us you love us and then go fuck another woman!" Being ripped from his father's arms caused PJ's crying to start-up once more. "Clearly, our family means nothing to you. We were always just an obligation to you. You stuck around for your own pride, to make Phillip Brooks look good."

"That's bullshit!" Phil yelled over his son. "If you think I don't love you because I made a mistake then you go right ahead and think that!" He pointed at the tear-soaked face of the little boy in her arms. "But don't you dare act like that little boy isn't my life!" Phil yanked PJ back from Courtney.

PJ clung to his father, crying into Phil's shoulder.

"If you want to leave, then you can leave." Phil lowered his tone. "You aren't taking him with you, not in the state you are in. Go see your parents. Go see the girls. Do something to cool off and you can come get him before the show and put him to bed. We'll talk after wards and figure out what the fuck we're going to do. Phil hugged the boy tight to his chest, trying to comfort him the best a man could comfort a small child witnessing the destruction of his family. "I am not doing this in front of him."

As much as she wanted to rip PJ from his arms and storm off the bus, she didn't. She wouldn't put their son through any more unnecessary pain and drama. It wasn't his fault that his father was a misogynistic pig and he shouldn't pay for it.

"Fine." She steamed. "I am going to go talk to John and Nikki. I'll come get him before the show but we aren't talking." She shook her head. "There's nothing to talk about. You disrespected me. You lied to me. You killed something, Phil. You killed everything we ever were and you did it while it's back was turned."

She stepped past him and the boy still whimpering in his arms but did stop to offer him one last look of disappointment.

"We can't come back from that, Phil."

* * *

***Reaches for tissue* Damn you, Paige. Damn you to hell.**

**I want to thank Devata, MulishaMaiden, Briannawrites, Kimberly316, & AngelVanguard for their lovely and thoughtful reviews. Though I do not write for reviews, I enjoy them.**


	7. Chapter 7

Her eyes were already misty by the time she found John standing in a hall backstage. He was busy talking to Dean Ambrose.

She'd fought the tears on the bus. Fought the pain. Fought the sadness. She wouldn't let Phil see her heart-break. She refused. It was only when she was finally alone, looking for John and Nikki, that she let herself feel the devastation. Her chest ached, she would swear that her heart was physically breaking in to a million pieces within her.

"John." Her voice broke.

John turned to her, his features immediately softening at the sight of her. Of course, Nikki had already broken the news to him. "Come here, sis." He extended his arms to her.

She didn't care that Dean Ambrose, a man she barely knew, was there. She didn't care if anyone that walked by witnessed her an emotional mess. Her world was ending. She had no future. Where would she go? Who would she be without Phil? How do you move forward when everything to this point has been a lie?

"How could he, John?" She buried her face against his chest, solid and broad, allowing herself this moment to fully lean on him, take some of the strength he readily offered. "How could he do this to me and PJ?" Her voice was muffled as she pressed herself tight. "It hurts so damn much."

"I know, Court." John's strong embrace was comforting to her. "I don't know what to say. I never expected something like this from Phil."

The tears coursed from her eyes, soaking the front of John's shirt. "I thought he loved me, John." He sobbed. "I thought he loved me."

"Hey." Dean spoke up. "Don't doubt a man's love." He placed a comforting hand on Courtney's shoulder. "Doubt his integrity."

Never in her life did she ever imagine she would be comforted in a hall way by a man like Dean Ambrose. She also never thought Phil would cheat on her. He'd kissed AJ during their separation before PJ was born but that was nothing compared to this. She thought her world was ending when she witness the scene in the gym between him and AJ but if she could go back in time...that was nothing.

She'd remained so strong all morning, but now, after letting herself feel the despair...her body lacked all energy. If she wasn't clutching to John, she would probably crumble to the ground. She just wanted to lay down. She just needed to rest her mind and her body. But she couldn't. Not yet. Where would she go? She couldn't go back to the bus, his bus. The bus where he'd probably taken Paige. Her stomach began to turn just thinking that she'd slept with Phil in the same bed where he'd likely betrayed her.

"Where do we go?" The only time she could remember such a feeling of hopelessness was the day he'd walked out on her after he found out she was pregnant. "PJ and I can't go back to Chicago. I can't go back to that place, John. Our home...the place where he lied to me for so long."

"Now, that's a stupid question, sis." John stated. "You know that you and PJ are welcome at the house anytime."

She did know that. It was only a question asked in a moment of despair, her devastated mind was irrational.

"Where's PJ?" John asked.

"I left him with Phil." Courtney answered. "He wouldn't let me take him while I was upset."

"He's right." John breathed a sigh of resignation. "PJ doesn't need to see you like this. I think it's best that you just come and lie down on my bus for a bit, take a moment to get yourself together and then you can go get little man and go to the house."

She stepped back from John, rubbing her eyes. "I can't go back to him, John." She sniffled. "I know I have to get PJ but I can't face him again. He made a fool of me. I feel like an idiot. Just looking at him reminds me of how he's played me for a fool for the last six months."

"Don't worry about that." Nikki came around the corner, arms crossed, eyes narrowed, and lips pursed. "I'll take care of it."

* * *

"Momma's real mad, daddy."

"I know, kiddo." Phil sat with PJ in the catering area. He wanted to take the little boy's mind off of the awful scene he'd witness between his parents so he'd decided to take him off the bus where it had all went down. Plus, after PJ had finally calmed down, he'd complained he was hungry.

"Why, daddy?" Despite his earlier complaints, the kid had yet to touch the chicken strips on his plate. "What did you do?"

Despite the fact that the love of his life was furious with him and he had no idea what the future held for them, he couldn't help but feel relieved. Having finally owned up to all his wrong-doing, he felt like a thousand pounds had been lifted from his shoulders. "Don't worry about that, P." He knew the little boy would never understand. "Just eat your chicken." He nudged the plate in front of his son.

"Is momma going to come eat with us?" PJ ignored the food and continued to ask questions.

"No, champ." He shook his head. "She went to go see Uncle John and Aunt Nikki. You guys are probably going to go stay with them for a little while." He figured now was as good as time as any to prep the boy for the inevitable.

He knew Courtney. She was proud and she was stubborn. Even if she did forgive him, it wouldn't be right away. She wouldn't go back to the bus. She wouldn't go back their home. She would go to John's. She always ran to John and Nikki.

"Are you coming to Uncle John's?"

"No, P." He choked down the lump in his throat and forced a smile. He didn't want PJ to see his hurt. The little boy had to think everything was okay. Things had to stay as normal as possible for the poor kid. "Dad has to work." He offered an answer that he knew PJ could understand.

PJ's questions did not relent. "Are you going to come to Uncle John's when you're done working, daddy?"

"No, P." Phil sighed deeply, his body shaking with repressed emotions. "Dad's going to stay at our house in Chicago."

PJ's little brow furrowed, trying to understand. "Because momma's mad?"

"Yeah, little dude." Phil nodded.

They sat in silence for a moment before PJ's face finally lit up. "Oooh, daddy." A bright smiled formed on his face. "Just give momma a hug and a kiss. She likes hugs and kisses."

"Hugging and kissing is what got dad in this mess, kiddo." Phil groaned.

A quizzical look spread across PJ's little features and Phil remembered he was talking to his three-year old son that did not grasp the concept of relationships and fidelity.

"Just eat, PJ." He nudged the plate again. "Momma and dad will figure it all out, okay?" He ruffled a hand in the boy's hair. "You guy's will be back home with dad in no time. Just got to let mom simmer down. You know momma's temper."

The little boy giggled. "Tam-Tam says it's hot." He still wasn't able to pronounce Tamina's name correctly.

If the boy wasn't going to eat, Phil didn't see any reason to let the food go to waste. Besides, he could use something to settle his nervous stomach. "Fiery." He answered his son, snagging a french fry from the kid's plate.

"Will you come see me at Uncle John's, daddy?" Phil's own heart broke more than it already was at the sadness that crossed over his son's face.

"No question, PJ." He assured his son. "Every chance I get, son."

"Look, daddy." PJ's little shoulders tensed at the sight of something behind Phil. "It's that crazy girl."

"Now, little Phillip." Phil's own muscles tensed at the sound of Paige's voice and the touch of her hands on his shoulders. "It's not very nice to call someone crazy." She took a seat in the empty chair next to Phil. "What are you teaching our boy, Phillip." She tsked.

"Don't you worry your little deranged mind what I teach _my _son." He replied, scooting his chair away from her.

Paige turned her attention to PJ. "How are you little Phillip?" She smiled at the little boy. "May I call you PJ?"

He didn't answer her. It was clear that Paige's presence made him uneasy. He just turned his nervous little eyes to his father.

"No, you may not call him anything." He spoke for his son. "What you _can _do is fuck off, Paige."

"Are you still mad about my earlier conversation with our little man?" She pouted. "I'm sorry, my love. I know I was a bit bold and got some what ahead of myself but I was just excited to introduce myself to my step-son. I am excited to get to know him now that we're rid of that mean old Courtney."

Phil's teeth were grinding in his clenched jaw. He didn't want his son to see how angry he really was. Didn't want to cause a scene in front of the little boy. He'd seen enough that day. "That's enough, Paige." He warned her.

"Don't call my momma a meanie." PJ took up for his mother.

"It's okay, P." Phil patted the boy's shoulder. "Ignore her. In fact.." He glared at Paige. "She was just leaving. Weren't you, Paige?"

"Well, well..."

Phil groaned at the sound of her voice. Just what he needed.

"Looks like you move on quick, Phil." Nikki approached the table. "What a cozy little scene. Having lunch with my godson and the whore you cheated on his mother with."

"Aunt Nikki..." PJ spoke up. "That's not a nice word." He chided her.

Nikki frowned at the little boy. "I'm sorry, my baby. Aunt Nikki will watch her potty mouth."

"Nikki." Phil propped his head on the table with his fist. "This is _not _what it looks like."

Nikki's gaze flicked upward. "Like it really matters?" She snorted. "You've already slept with the woman. I guess it is only becoming of a gentleman that you share in a meal with the skank."

"Aunt Nikki!"

"Oops." She brought her hand to her mouth. "Sorry, sweetheart."

Phil's head was beginning to pound with the stress of the two women harassing him and his son's questions. "I'm not taking a meal with her." He rubbed his brow to ward off the headache that was forming. "She was just about to piss off when you walked up. I don't need you carrying your version of events back to Courtney if I ever hope to fix this."

"Whatever, Phil." She smirked. "I couldn't care less what you do with this lady." Nikki turned her scorn to the young Diva. "I used the term lady _very loosely._ Not as loosely as you conduct yourself, Paige, but loosely nonetheless."

Phil didn't care if Nikki insulted Paige. She could stand there and cuss the girl up and down for all it mattered to him but his nerves were wracked and he really just wanted to spend this time with his son while he could.

"What do you want, Nicole?" His fingers tapped on the table-top. "I'd love for both of you to leave me alone so I could have lunch with my kid."

"Can't do it, sir." Nikki winced. "Courtney asked me to come get him so they can get on the road before it get's late."

"Really?" Phil shook his head in disbelief. "She couldn't come get him?"

Nikki sneered at him. "No and I don't blame her for not wanting to be around you."

"I can't believe this." Phil scratched his jaw. "No. If she wants him, she can come get him. This is childish." The irritation was beginning to come through in his voice. "He is OUR SON, not a piece of dry cleaning that she can just send someone to retrieve because she doesn't feel like it." He waved Nikki off.

"Okay, you want to talk about childish?" Nikki's head bobbed. "Let's talk about childish."

"Excuse me, Bella Bitch." Phil had completely forgotten about Paige seated next to him. "Do not talk to hi-"

Nikki tossed a hand in the air. "Shut your mouth, Paige!" She cut the girl off. "The adults are talking!"

For once in their rocky relationship, Nikki and Phil agreed on something. "Shutup, Paige. I'm pretty sure I told you to piss off?" He added.

"Come on, PJ." Nikki huffed, holding her manicured hand out to the boy. "Aunt Nikki's gonna take you to mom. Tell daddy and his girlfriend bye."

That was all Phil could handle. He could deal with Paige's delusions. He could deal with Nikki's snarky attitude. He could handle Courtney leaving for the moment. What he could not deal with was Nikki putting ignorant ideas in the mind of his already confused son.

"Dammit, Nicole!" He growled, shoving her hand away from his son. "Don't tell him that shit! You aren't taking my son anywhere!"

"Phil, don't do this." Nikki frowned. "I get that this is hard for you but you should have known this would happen when you were taking it to miss Paige over here." She pointed at PJ. "Realize that this is all even harder on him. He has no clue what is going on and you acting like this isn't going to help him adjust to everything that is about to happen."

Phil looked over at the boy. He'd been so focused on Paige and Nikki that he hadn't notice the little boy's trembling chin and lips or his hands clasped over his ears from the yelling.

Nikki, for once, was right.

"Well, shit." Phil collapsed back in his chair, resigning himself to the fact that he would have to let Nikki take his son. "Where is she taking him? John's? Chicago? Her parent's?" He at least wanted to know where the boy would be.

Nikki shook her head. "It's not my place to discuss this with you. You will have to call Courtney."

He knew that was pointless. Courtney wouldn't answer his calls. She wouldn't even come get their son for him. He felt hollow at the thought that his son was about to walk away from him and he had no idea when or if he would ever see him again. He couldn't fight Nikki, he wouldn't anyway, for the sake of PJ. He wouldn't put his son through anymore drama today.

"Can I just have a moment to tell him goodbye?" He hoped Nikki wasn't so cold to him that she wouldn't allow him the simple request.

"Make it quick, Phil."

Not wanting to waste any time with the boy, he quickly turned to his son. "Come here, P-man." He pulled the boy up into his arms, squeezing him tight. His chest shook with his shallow breaths. He was dying inside wishing he could go back in time and prevent all of this. "I love you, PJ." His lips spoke into the boy's hair.

"Don't cry, daddy." PJ's arms were tight around his father's neck. "It's only a little while, remember?"

He was trying so hard not to break down in front of the boy but the small child's optimism and lack of understanding was making it hard to do so. "I know, champ." His eye ached with the tears that were building. "Only a little while."

He hoped it was true.

"Be good for Momma, PJ and I promise that I will see you very soon." He kissed his son's face. "Bye, son."

PJ sat up and looked into Phil's eyes. "Not bye, daddy." He placed a small hand on his father's face. "Just see you later, like momma says when you leave."

Phil smiled through the pain that was still threatening to pour from his eyes. "That's right, P." His voice finally broke. "I'll see you later."

"Alright, PJ." Nikki scooped the boy from his lap. "Let's not keep your momma waiting."

Phil slumped forward in the chair, burying his face in his arms on the table. Now that Nikki had packed his entire world off, he didn't care who seen him upset. With Courtney gone, PJ was all he had...now he was gone too. With Nikki's spiteful addition to the equation, he knew it would be hell to see either of them again.

"It's alright, sweetheart." Paige's hand was on his quaking shoulder. "Aren't you glad you are rid of that cold woman? Only a spiteful, heartless woman would keep a man from his son?" She lay her head on his shoulder. "I promise, when we have our own babies, I will never take them from you."

"Fuck you, Paige!" He shouted, shoving her from him into the floor. "What will it take for you to get it?" He tossed his arms in the air, completely exasperated with everything that was being thrown at him.

Paige's despondent eyes stared up at him. She really was delirious. She really didn't grasp the gravity of all the damage she'd done. She seemed just as confused as PJ.

"I don't want you, Paige. We'll never be anything or have anything?" He placed his hands on his hips. "Don't you understand?" He tilted his head. "I used you, sweetheart."

"No..no..no.." She ran her hands through her hair, shaking her head with disbelief. "You love me, Phillip. You said you did."

"Did I, Paige?" He blinked. "If I did, it was in the heat of the moment and meaningless." He fell back into his chair, staring down at his hands that were as empty as his world.

He felt kinda bad for Paige. He did use the girl. He took advantage of her youth and her feelings for him for his own selfish reasons. He couldn't blame her for the state of his family. He did it to himself. Even if she was a little cuckoo, she was innocent.

Phil screwed Phil.

He ruined his own life.

* * *

**I'm sorry :'(**


	8. Chapter 8

**_Life goes on._**

**_You meet someone and you fall in love. You have a beautiful child. The life you make together isn't perfect, nothing ever is, but it's all you've ever wanted and it seems like the entire universe is on your side._**

**_Then, something goes wrong and it's all over. You have nothing left. You wonder how something so beautiful could turn so ugly? How heaven can turn to hell in a matter of seconds?_**

**_Life moves so quickly._**

**_Life goes on._**

**_You wonder how...but it does._**

**_Bills still come in the mail. Birthdays still pass. People still call. The world keeps moving around you._**

**_Life goes on._**

**_Eventually, you find yourself smiling again. You stop diagnosing and dissecting the destruction of your world. Mostly because your sick of thinking about it; Thinking about him. You stop blaming yourself. You don't blame him either. You realize it's never one persons fault. _**

**_You cut your hair to signify to yourself that you've cut that connection with the past; With him. _**

**_Sometimes you wonder what he's doing but it no longer occupies your mind. Sometimes the loneliness still hits when you're lying alone at night...but you're okay with it._**

**_Life goes on._**

Courtney was in unusually high spirits as she sat on the deck next to John's pool, staring at the words she'd written on the notepad in front of her.

So much had changed in the last eight weeks but so much was still the same.

Her brown waves that used to tease her waist now sat just above her shoulders. PJ started preschool at an exclusive school in John's gated community. He'd pulled a few favors to help her get the boy in and, so far, he seemed to be enjoying it. Now that she had half of her day to herself she'd recently started going back to the gym. She was almost back into wrestling shape.

She and PJ were adjusting well to life without the man that used to be the center of their world. PJ hardly cried for him at nights anymore and stopped asking weeks ago when they were going home. She still had her bad days. Days she yearned to hear his voice or feel his touch. Mostly, she had days of indifference. Days where she chose not to think about him at all. On those days, she would almost forget he existed until PJ came running off the van that brought him home after school.

Today, though...today she was happy.

"Hey, sis." John's voice tore her attention from her musings in front of her. "You got mail." He said dropping the white envelope down in front of her.

She immediately recognized the handwriting and the lightness she'd been feeling started to drift away.

"Throw it away." She shoved it away from her. This wasn't going to ruin her good mood. She had to take PJ to his first practice with his Fall T-ball team. They'd both been looking forward to it all week and this wasn't going to put a damper on it.

"You don't want to read it?" John sat down next to her and picked up the envelope. "I never thought I'd see the day that Phil Brooks wrote a letter." He snickered at the item in his hands."

Courtney grabbed it from him. "I am sure it says the exact same thing as the 60 voice mails he left me before I changed my number." She said hollowly, tearing it in two.

"Courtney, you can't ignore and avoid him forever."

Sure she could. She'd done a very good job of it for the last two months or so.

"Sure, I can." She sang.

"You share a son." John stated plainly. "I am surprised he's stayed away for this long but I don't see him letting you keep PJ away from him for much longer. This is Phil, Courtney. He won't keep sending voice mails, e-mails, and letters." The corner of his mouth turned into a sly, sad smile. "He's gonna come for his son eventually."

Courtney nodded. "I know." She'd been waiting to tell John and Nikki the news. They'd been nothing but hospitable during their extended stay but it was time to continue moving forward. "That is why I made an offer on a house for me and PJ last week..."

John's mouth fell open. "What? Why didn't you say anything?"

"Well, I didn't want to hurt your feelings and I didn't want to jinx it either."

"So..."

The excitement began bubble over. "I got it!" She squealed.

"Where is it? Chicago?"

Courtney loved her home-town but decided after she retrieved their belongings from Phil's that she would never step foot in that city again.

"No." She answered. "It's actually here in Tampa. PJ won't have to switch schools or have his life disrupted at all."

A satisfied smile spread on John's face. "That's great, Court. I am proud of you." He took her hand in his. "You've persevered and remained so strong during this trying time. I don't think PJ would have adjusted so well if he didn't have you for a mother."

John's words warmed her inside. PJ was the only shining light in her life. Her purpose. The reason she got out of bed on most days. "It took me a while to get to this place, John, but I really feel like PJ and I will be just fine."

Her moment of contentment was short-lived.

"Are you Courtney Scott?" A stern-looking gentleman in a white collared shirt and khaki's came around the side of John's house.

John stood from his seat. "Can I help you?"

"Courtney Scott?" The stranger eyed her over John's shoulder.

"That's me." She acknowledged.

The stranger pulled a packet of papers from the clipboard in his hand, signed off on it and tossed it down on the table in front of her.

"You've been served."

* * *

**Oooooh?**


	9. Chapter 9

The heat of her anger was flushing through her body by the time she retrieved her cell phone from the charger in John's kitchen.

She'd long since removed his number from her phone, removing with it the temptation or urge to call him when she found herself scrolling through her contacts on those empty days filled with boredom. She'd never forget those ten digits, though. Her fingers, still shaking from her outrage, dialed them with little effort on the part of her brain.

She didn't count the rings but it felt like forever before he answered. She had a new number. It was surprising that he would answer for an unknown number at all. Then again, Phil was clever. He was probably expecting this.

"Yeah?"

"How dare you!" She wasted no time vocalizing her displeasure with him. "You had me served!? You really think a judge is going to take him from his mother and give him to a man who spends probably a total of 30 days at home a year?"

It was silent on his end. All she could hear was the rage pounding in her ears.

"Doth my ears deceive me?" Phil's smug voice only intensified the fury building within her. "Could this really be the spiteful woman that's kept my only child, my son, away from me for two months?"

"This is bullshit, Phil, and you know it." She tore into him. "You really expect me to put my life, PJ's life, on hold to fly to Chicago for some ridiculous court hearing."

Staying true to character, Phil continued to chuckle at her wrath. ""Do what you want, sweetheart." He instructed. "As much as I'd love to see your beautiful face, I think it would be in my favor if you didn't show up."

"If I have to crawl on bloody knees, I wouldn't give you the pleasure." She hissed.

More dry laughter came from his end of the line. "Court.." She could imagine the grin on his face at that moment. She could also imagine smacking it off his face. "It's hard for me to focus and take your call seriously when you're using the words knees and pleasure in the same sentence."

"How is Paige, by the way?" He wasn't the only one who could taunt the other.

"Wouldn't know." He quickly returned. "She hooked up with some poor dude down in developmental and finally left me alone. I guess she's too busy making his life hell, thankfully."

She ignored the small flutter in her stomach from finding out that Phil hadn't spent the last two months shacked up with the young Diva like she'd often imagined. She didn't care, she couldn't care about him anymore.

""Ever heard of a rhetorical question, Phil?" She said coolly. "I couldn't care less about your life or Paige." She wasn't sure if she was telling him or herself. "I just wanted to call to let you know that it is real shitty of you to serve me with court papers."

"Would you say that it is as shitty as a woman ignoring every attempt by a man to reach out and see his son for two months?" He lashed out.

This time she was silent. She could offer no excuse or explanation to him for denying him access to PJ. At least, not a legitimate one.

"I'm sorry, Court." Phil finally spoke. "I don't want to take PJ from you, Court. I've heard from John and Bryan how well he is adjusting down there and I don't want to disrupt that. I know all about him starting school and I know he's starting t-ball tonight. I just needed to get your attention and it worked."

Of course. Leave it to Phil. He knew her so well. When it came to her, he knew he could bank on two things: her love for her son and her temper. Especially when it came to him, she wouldn't miss any opportunity to tell him that she thought he was being a dumb ass. She should have known the petition was just a play on his part to make her pick up the phone.

"You have my attention, Phillip." She let out a loud breath. "What do you want?"

"I want to see PJ."

"If I let you see him will you drop this ignorant petition for custody?"

"I'll consider it..."

His request was simple enough but she struggled with the idea of having to face him. She hadn't seen him since his confession on the bus. "Fine." She answered begrudgingly. "Let me check my schedule and I will get back to you."

"Actually..." He spoke up. "I was thinking tonight would be good. I am in Winter Haven to tape some stupid shit for NXT. I can be in Tampa just in time for PJ's practice."

She knew she was in no place to argue. If she wanted him to drop his petition for custody of PJ and avoid the court hearing, she would have to give him exactly what he wanted...as much as she hated it. She would have to see him.

"Sounds like a plan.." She grumbled. "I'll text you the address."

* * *

"_Are you sure that you don't want me to come along? I can be there in 15 minutes."_

Courtney strained to hear Roman's deep voice coming through the Bluetooth of her car with PJ's babbling from his booster seat in the backseat.

"No, it's fine." She shuddered at the thought of Phil's reaction if she walked up with the Samoan. "I don't want him stirring a scene at PJ's first practice."

"_Okay, I'll keep my distance." _Roman said. "_You will have to tell him about us eventually, sweetheart. I am surprised he hasn't heard it around the locker room yet."_

Courtney didn't want to think about that either. Very few knew about her blossoming relationship with one/third of the popular stable known as The Shield. The only people privy to the information were John, The Bellas, Bryan, Seth, Dean, and Dean's girlfriend, Maria. She didn't want the attention after the news about Phil's affair had spread like wildfire but, mostly, she didn't want Phil to find out.

"Speaking of the locker room." She changed the subject. "How is everyone? Dean and Maria?"

_"They're still going strong. I have to admit, with Dean, I'm surprised. But I'm happy for them." _He had such a big heart. Maria had been Roman's girlfriend when she'd fallen for Dean. It was a long story and they'd tried to explain it to Courtney but she still wasn't sure what had happened exactly. All she knew was that it spoke highly of Roman's character to put his best friend's feelings ahead of his own.

"Momma! Momma! Momma!" PJ continued to yell from the backseat. "Skylar put sand down Julie's dress outside. He had to go to time-out."

"_He sounds excited. Does he know?" _

Courtney shook her head. "No." She remembered that her boyfriend wasn't there to see her gesture. "I want it to be a surprise."

"_Alright." _Roman sighed. _"I'll let you go. You two have fun. Call me later and let me know how it went."_

"I will. Bye, Roman." She disconnected the call just as she pulled into the parking lot of Ed Radice Park.

"Momma!" PJ bounced in his seat with excitement. "Momma! It's daddy! Look!"

PJ was right.

Phil was already there waiting on them. He stood against the parked black rental car with his arms crossed.

"Yes, baby, I see that." She feigned excitement for her son but she'd been dreading this moment ever since she hung up the phone that afternoon. "Stay in your seat until we're parked, honey, he's not going anywhere."

She tried not to pay attention to him as she pulled her car next to his but it was to no avail. He looked amazing. Had he actually combed his hair?

That shirt.

He never wore one of his WWE licensed t-shirts in public, ever, unless it was an event. Today, he had on a gray _In Punk We Trust_ shirt. It was snug against his toned body and he knew she loved that shirt on him._r_

She knew then that this wasn't going to be easy. He was going to mess with her. How could she have expected anything less from Phillip Brooks, _CM Punk._ She almost wished she had brought Roman along.

She put the car in park and took a deep breath.

"Here goes nothing..."

* * *

**Anyone who follows Devata and her amazing stories knows exactly who Maria is. We realized that our stories were kinda on the same time-line...so we decided to mesh them together sort of. It's really awesome and I am super excited about.**

**Wait? Roman & Courtney? **

**Did I miss something?**


	10. Chapter 10

You would think that it would be easy for him to go so long without seeing the boy.

Since PJ was three months old, he'd gone for weeks at a time on the road without his son but that was different. Then, he could pick up the phone and hear the boy's voice. He could Skype his son before he went to bed every night. He could look forward to the kid running into his arms as soon as he sat his bag by the door.

The unsettling feeling in his stomach as he watched Nikki pack the boy off two months ago told him that things weren't going to go back to normal as he'd hoped. Courtney wasn't going to calm down and try to work it out. She was really leaving.

He never imagined that she would keep PJ, the very reason for his being, away from him. He was incomplete without the boy. Sometimes, when he was away from home, he would forget that the boy was gone. He would come through the front door for a day or so of rest and it would hit him again when he was met by the silence. The hole in his chest where his heart used to be before she, Courtney, ripped it out would ache for the boy the entire time he was in his empty home.

Which was why he didn't go home very often anymore.

He dreamed of this moment, watching his son hop out of the car. It was surreal to him.

"Daddy!"

He didn't wait for the boy.

"Come here, P." The tiny cleats on the boy's feet had barely touched the ground before he'd lifted the boy in his arms. "How ya been, champ?" He couldn't contain the overwhelming amount of happiness that warmed his body from holding his son again.

PJ's own eyes were wide and beaming with elation. "I missed you, daddy."

"I missed you too, P." He swallowed the lump forming in his throat, tears of happiness threatened to rain down on their reunion.

"You were working for a long time, daddy."

"I know, P." He shifted his eyes towards her, standing there. She avoided his gaze, instead staring down at her shoes. He didn't imagine he would be able to look himself in the eyes either if the roles were reversed. "Dad's sorry, but I'm here now."

"Are we going home now that you are done working, daddy?"

PJ's question caught him off guard. He figured, after two months, Courtney would have explained it all to him by now. "Well.." He cleared his throat, digging his brain for some way to answer his son's question. "Actually-"

"Come on, PJ." He was thankful Courtney walked up. "Let's go meet your coaches. We don't want to be late."

Worry wrinkled the small child's forehead. "Are you coming too, daddy?"

"Of course, P-man." He assured his son. "I wouldn't miss watching Chicago's next home-run hitter."

"Like _Kris Bryant_, daddy?" The boy grinned referencing the 3rd baseman for the Cubs and PJ's favorite player.

"Better, kiddo." He gently poked the boy's chest. "People are going to be coming up for _your_ picture one day, PJ."

PJ held his chin high, pride gleamed in the boy's eye. The boy loved baseball, probably as much as his dad loved wrestling. He'd been hooked ever since Phil had taken him to his very first game at Wrigley.

It was the first genuine smile that had crossed his face since Courtney had taken PJ and left. He could feel the pleased expression on his face as he surveyed the boy in his arms. The kid must have grown 12 inches and gained 10 lbs since the last time he'd held him. Of course, it was an exaggeration but the boy had grown a bit in the last two months.

His happy reunion with his boy was short-lived.

"Hey! Punk!"

Phil groaned at the sight of the out-of-shape middle-aged lumbering up to him with cell-phone in hand. "Can we get a picture?"

This was the last thing Phil wanted to deal with at the moment. Why couldn't he just an evening with his son without being bothered. He hated when they approached him in the airports or when he was sitting down to a meal. It was almost impossible to try going to the store without being bothered. He tolerated it though. He put on the big grin and pretended to be interested in their proclamations of adoration for him. It was different when he was out with PJ.

Most fans had heard the story of the genius that thought it would be a good idea to come up to him and Courtney at the park with PJ. The boy had only be seven months old at the time. They were sitting on a blanket waiting for some concert in the park to start. He didn't want to go, he preferred to sit at home with his family on his days off. Courtney begged for hours, though, and he never could deny those pretty hazel eyes anything they wanted. So, there they sat, watching their pride and joy crawl around on the blanket when they were approached by a random fan. Phil was used to it. He answered the guy's questions and tried to be friendly until the idiot messed up.

"_You got a cute kid, Punk." _

It felt like it all happened in slow motion. Phil couldn't believe his eyes as the man bent over and scooped his son up into his arms, the arms of a stranger. Without a thought, he'd gone into a protective mode, snatching his son out of the stranger's arms and shouting a number of expletives in the idiot's direction. Then, the delusional creep had the nerve to shove him like he was being the unreasonable one. Needless to say, their pleasant family night in the park ended with a bloody nose for the jackass and a word with the local authorities for Phil.

After that, most fans knew to steer clear of him when he was seen out with PJ. Obviously, this guy didn't get the news.

"I'm sorry." Phil held his hand up, stopping the guy short. "As you can see, I am here for my son's ball practice." Phil noticed a boy in the same garb as PJ standing behind the man's legs. "It looks like you are too. Let me spend this time with him and I'll take care of you when he's done."

"Come on, _Phil._" The guy persisted. "Just one picture."

His jaw stiffened at the guy's casual use of his name. "First, don't call me Phil." He warned the guy, a wry smile slipping across his face. "You don't know me, sir. Second, I said no. I am spending time with my _family_." He said the word out of habit. Of course, they weren't a family anymore. "Now, I am trying to be nice and offering to get with you after his practice. Take it or leave it."

"Look, Punk." The guy jabbed his chubby finger into Phil's chest. "You owe me, buddy. My money pays your bills and for your kid."

Phil took a deep breath, trying not to focus on the discomfort of the man's finger poking in to his chest. "Take him, Court." He handed the boy to his mother and turned his attention back to the jackass in front of him.

"Look, asshole." He shoved the man back. "I don't owe you shit. You think because your fat ass sits behind a computer screen and you pay for a lousy twenty dollar t-shirt that I should cater to you?"

"Yeah, I do!" The man stood his ground, shoulders back and chest puffed out. "You wouldn't be shit without your fans, douche-bag." The guy gestured his hand towards Courtney hold a frightened PJ. "Way to teach your kid humility!"

That was his breaking point. A primal instinct to protect his child and his mother prompted him to plant himself firmly between them and this intrusive fan.

"Fuck you, dipshit!" He snatched the man by his collar. "You pay my bills? If you pay my bills then I should get to sit home with my kid! If ignorant, fat fucks like you pay my bills, what the fuck am I out there busting my ass for?" His temper swirled within. He could feel the heat of his anger reddening his face. His knuckles were white gripping the man's shirt.

He felt Courtney's gentle hand on his bicep. "Phil, you're upsetting PJ. Just forget about this guy and let's take our son to meet his team."

"No!" Phil released the guy and took PJ from Courtney's arms. "He's not playing ball with any kid that shares genetics with that dick-fart."

"Phillip." She nagged him. "Watch your mouth around these children."

He hadn't noticed a crowd of parents and their children had gathered around the scene. Of course. The first time he gets to see his kid in two months and bullshit has to happen..

"Fuck this, Court." His irritation with the fan, the loss of his family, and the eyes ogling him had the better of him. "He's coming home to play ball for a real team in Chicago not the retirement village of Tampa!"

"Phillip." She said his name sternly. "We are not doing this right now. PJ and I are not coming back to Chicago any time soon and you have only yourself to blame for that."

"You don't have to come home, Court." In front of a group of strangers was not how he imagined they would have this conversation. He'd planned on asking her to bring PJ to eat dinner with him so they could talk. It was why he'd worn this ignorant shirt, she loved it. It was why he'd taken the time to run a comb through his normally unruly hair. She always nagged him to. He missed his family. He missed Courtney. He missed PJ. He wanted them home. "At least come back to Chicago so we can try to work things out. I'll take time off. We can get PJ in to a school up there. They have ball teams up there."

"We can't, Phil." Her lip trembled. He couldn't see the hazel eyes he loved so much behind her dark shades but he could tell he'd upset her. "I just bought a house here."

It didn't matter to him. If she wouldn't come to him then he'd come to her. "Fine, I'll take the time off and I'll come stay in Florida."

"It's not that simple..." Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Why isn't it?" He shook his head. "I love you. You love me. We love our son. I know I fucked up but can't we just work this out?"

"Phil..." What was she struggling with? "I need to tell you something.."

He took her face in his hands, gently stroking a lone tear from her cheek with his thumb. "Tell me, Court. What is it?"

"I can't come back to Chicago. You can't come here. We can't work this out..." She hesitated. "Phil...I'm seeing someone else."

* * *

**First, I want to say that I am brokeded because my precious _Devata_, my Jess, has taken a break on her awesome story. I am brokeded forever...or until she comes back to writing. Whichever is first.**

**Poor Punk.**

**How will he react to the news of Roman?**


	11. Chapter 11

She fought to get the words out. If she could have it her way..she would have never told him. What did it matter? She didn't owe him any updates on her life. He couldn't be bothered to tell her that he was sleeping with that young floozy under her nose. Why should she be bothered to tell him that she was dating someone now?

That's what she told herself. She didn't tell him because she didn't feel like she owed him anything.

This was really why she didn't tell him.

She wanted to avoid this moment.

The look on his face. The same distant, dull look in his eyes and the sagging, forlorn features of his face. It was same doleful look he'd shot her when she walked off the bus two months ago. Her last memory of him. It haunted her.

She never wanted to see it again.

"I'm not following you, Court?" A mirthless smile traced his lips. "Did you just say you're seeing someone?" His eyebrow raised.

The nod was painful for her.

Phil stepped back, his mouth slackened. "You're dating someone else?"

She watched as he comprehended the news. She watched as the pain and confusion washed over him in one fell swoop. She watched as part of him shut down. She watched his heart break before her very eyes.

"Who?" The skin bunched around his eyes, his painful stare searching her for answers.

She wished she could duck behind something, anything, to shield her from his listless eyes penetrating her soul. "It doesn't matter." She said weakly.

"Like hell it doesn't!" He shouted. "I deserve to know who you have around my son."

He expected her to believe that? The audible stress in his voice and the muscles jumping under the skin of his tense neck gave him away. Sure, he probably was concerned about PJ but mostly he wanted to know who was the reason she was giving up on him, on them.

"Phillip, calm down." She acknowledged the group of people still standing around them. "You've caused enough of a scene today."

"Who is it, Courtney?" He repeated. "Do I know him?"

She nodded with hesitance.

"Tell. Me. Who. It. Is." She could see he was growing impatient with her dancing around the subject.

She knew Phil. As much as she didn't want to tell him, she would have to. He wouldn't let it go until she did.

"Roman..." She bit her lip, rubbing her own arm as she eyed him nervously. "...Reigns..."

Phil's head jerked back as he eyed her incredulously. "Ro-Roman?" He stammered. "Roman Reigns?" Phil tilted his head, smirking. "You mean that Samoan 'Fabio' from The Shield?"

"He's a good guy, Phil." They were the only words her mind could form though probably not the most appropriate.

Phil still appeared dazed by the news as he shook his head in a vehement denial. "Two months, Court?" He scoffed. "We've only been separated for two months. What did you do? Run straight from my bus to The Shield's that day?"

"Not as quickly as you ran from our bed to Paige's." She returned coolly. "Don't you dare stand there and try to judge me for dating Roman so soon after we broke up when you slept around behind my back for six months."

She couldn't believe the nerve of him.

"Yeah, well, let's see how long it takes for Roman to start sleeping around once he realizes what a pain in the ass and a raging bitch you can be." He bit.

"Excuse me?" This time Courtney was the one taken by surprise. "Maybe I wouldn't be such a raging bitch if you weren't a pompous ass!" She returned.

"I'm a pompous ass?" Phil snickered. "_I'M _a pompous ass?"

Courtney glared over the top of her sunglasses. "To the fullest. You've ruined PJ's first practice with your ignorant behavior." She turned her attention to PJ, grabbing him from the tattooed arms of his father. Like he did every time his parents were bickering, PJ had his hands pressed over his ears and his eyes shut tightly. "Clearly, allowing you to come here was a mistake on my part."

"At least we agree on something, sweetheart." His mouth twisted into a sour expression. "Meeting you was the BIGGEST mistake of my life! I should have left your drunk ass in that bar. You are so ungrateful!"

"I'm ungrateful?" Courtney's mouth fell open in disbelief at his statement. "I gave up everything, my dream, for you. You have the nerve to say that I am ungrateful?"

"What about me?" His chin jerked up, anger flashing in his emerald eyes. "Did you ever stop to think about everything I gave up for you and all the baggage you brought along. The sacrifices I made for you and a kid that I never wanted in the first place!?"

So there it was. She wasn't as surprised as she expected to be at his statement. How many times had she accused him of feeling obligated to her and their son for his own pride. She wasn't hurt. She wasn't angry.

All she felt was empty. Numb.

"Well, why are you here, Phillip?" She sighed dejectedly. "You have your free pass." Her head shook softly. "Go back to Chicago. We're not your burden anymore."

"God damn it, Courtney." A pained expression fell across his face. "That's not what I meant and you know it."

"No, Phillip." She returned sharply. "I think you said exactly what you meant."

He brought his hand to his own chest, rubbing it as if the severity of his statement brought him some sort of physical pain. "Wnat I meant-" His mouth opened and closed as he searched for some way to take his words back. "I'm just upset, Court."

He couldn't take them back. She wouldn't let him.

"Words spoken in anger are often closest to the truth."

"Shit, Courtney." He scrubbed a hand over his face. "You know you and PJ are everything to me."

She stared at him blankly. "Just go, Phillip."

"I'm not going anywhere, Courtney."

"Fine." She turned away from him. "PJ and I will leave. You've ruined this day for him anyway." She opened the door the backseat of the car and sat PJ in his seat.

"No, Courtney." Phil's placed a hand on her shoulder. "I want to spend time with him. I haven't seen him in two months."

She finished buckling PJ in and turned back to Phil, shoving him off her. "What do you care?" She snapped. "You said it, yourself. You never wanted him anyway." She opened her own door. "It looks like you're getting your wish, Phil." She dismissed him, getting into the driver's seat and closing the door in a huff."

"Courtney, you are not taking him away from me again!" PJ's cries filled the car as his father beat on Courtney's window. "You want to date Roman or whoever, I deserve it, but don't take my son from me again."

"It's okay, PJ." Courtney eyed her son through the rear-view mirror. "We'll play another day, okay? I bet Uncle John will throw the ball with you when we get home, baby." She tried her best to soothe the teary-eyed boy but it wasn't working.

"Goodbye, Phillip." She shouted through the window as she turned the key in the ignition.

It didn't matter to Phil. He didn't step back from the car. "You understand what you are doing, don't you?" His hardened expression was enough to bore a hole through her.

She wasn't going to let him intimidate her. "I am fully aware."

They traded glares for a tense moment before a slow, sickening grin spread across Phil's face.

"You know me, Courtney." He warned. "I'm relentless. I won't stop until I get what I want and I will go to any lengths to get it. Are you prepared for that?"

Showing him that she wasn't deterred by his threats, she slid the window down. She wouldn't be bullied and she would not be intimidated. She swiped the glasses off her face, returning her own harsh squint. "Well, I guess I'll see you in court."

* * *

**Well, I didn't plan on updating tonight but this just came to me. So, here ya go. :)**

**Things are getting a bit harsh. Jeez.**

**Thank you to everyone for all your continued support!**


	12. Chapter 12

**So, this one took a while. I am sorry. I wanted to get it just right. I hope you enjoy.**

**Also, before you read this. Take a listen to "_Without You" By Ashes Remains._ **

**I listened to that song quite a bit while writing this chapter.**

* * *

The room was so quiet.

So empty.

It hurt.

The only sound was the screaming of emptiness and loneliness.

Walls that used to be covered with posters of the boy's favorite comic book heroes were now bare. Walls he'd painted sky blue at Courtney's request just weeks before PJ's surprise arrival. Walls he'd painted again when PJ asked for a Batman bedroom for his third birthday. They were empty and closing in around him as he sat on PJ's stripped bed.

She'd taken everything but the bed, one of the dressers, and the night stand. All his toys, clothes, every trace of the boy was gone. The only thing she'd left was PJ's favorite _Chicago Cubs_ fleece blanket that he now held in his hands. Phil found it under the bed when he returned home to find all their belongings gone after she found out about his affair.

She left it.

PJ slept with that blanket every night since they'd brought him home to Chicago. He was a week old before they made the trip from Florida, after the baby boy's unexpected and early birth, to Chicago. Maybe it was the change in scenery or the time difference? They didn't know but PJ refused to sleep that night. It was 4 am when he finally told her to lay down. The blanket was thrown carelessly along the back of the couch. It didn't mean anything then. Just a piece of cloth that he'd grabbed to cover the squirming fussy baby nuzzled against his bare chest. The next thing he remembered was Courtney easing the sleeping baby out of his arms and telling him to get in the bed. Whatever it was about that blanket, it worked. PJ never slept without it from that moment on.

How could she leave that?

Part of him worried about how PJ was getting through the nights without his favorite blanket and thought about handing it off to John or Bryan to return it to the kid. Another part of him, a selfish part of him, wouldn't allow him to do so. He kept it for himself. All he had left of his son was his blanket, his empty room, his stories, and the quiet that swallowed Phil as he tried in vain to spread himself out and fill the space PJ left behind.

"Phil!" The familiar voice rescued him from drowning in the desolate thoughts that were flooding his mind. "Phillip! Are you home!?" The voice echoed from the bottom of the steps through the open doorway of PJ's room.

"Yeah, I'm up here!" He answered, wiping his moist and swollen eyes.

He'd been expecting her but lost track of time sulking about in PJ's room.

"Why are you sitting in here torturing yourself again?" His best friend, his sister, Chez, leaned against the doorway offering him a small, sad smile. "It isn't going to make you feel any better.:

He'd called her and asked her to pick up his suit for their court hearing tomorrow from the dry cleaners. He didn't feel like dealing with the world. Any trips out of his front door would likely end the same as PJ's practice. It was best for him and the world if he just resigned himself to his own personal prison in the home he once shared with his family.

"I don't want to feel better." He kept his focus on the blanket in his hands. "I want my damn son."

Chez nodded. "I know you do but moping around this empty apartment isn't going to bring him back and neither is acting like a prick to his mother." She commented.

"What?" Phil finally looked up at his sister, confused by the end of her statement. It didn't take him long to figure out what was going on. He could see from the knowing look she was sending him what she was talking about. "Courtney called you, didn't she?"

"What were you thinking, Phil?"

Phil blew out a shallow breath and fell back on the bed. "I don't know, Chez." He covered his face with his hands. "I went to see PJ play ball and things just spun out of control."

"You told her that you didn't want PJ." Chez's tone was filled with disappointment.

"That's not what I meant and she knows it." He stared vacantly up at the ceiling. "She told me she was dating someone else and I just...got upset and, well, we both said things neither of us meant, I'm sure."

Chez chuckled. "No, I am pretty sure she still stands firm in her position that you are a _pompous ass._"

"I love PJ." Phil ignored his sister's statement and the irritation it sent through him. "I never wanted to have kids and Courtney knows that but I stepped up for her and him, albeit rather slowly, and I would meet death before I let him meet harm. Since the first time I held him, Chez, I haven't regretted him for a second."

"A wise man once said.." Chez removed her weight from the door frame and began to saunter across the floor. "_Speak when you are angry and you will give the best speech that you'll ever regret._"

He just lay in the bed with no desire or motivation to ever move from that spot again. She was right, though. He let his temper and jealousy get the best of him and now PJ was gone again. He'd been so close. His son was in his arms and he screwed it all up because he couldn't handle the fact that the woman he mistreated had found someone else.

"I have only this to say..." Chez sighed, sitting on the bed next to him. "You are my brother. She is my friend. I will not take sides on the matter and I have told her the same. You were wrong for cheating and she is wrong for taking PJ to Florida and away from you. You are both hurt and you want to punish one another. Again, I am not getting in the middle but do you know who is?"

She didn't need to say anything else. He already knew where it was going. "PJ." He lamented.

"That's right." Chez stated. "That poor baby is in the middle of all this. You're fighting for your interest in your son's life. She is fighting for her own pride because you cheated on her with a younger woman while she was handling your home. Who's fighting for PJ? Who speaks for him? His voice is too small."

All the pain that he was trying to keep hidden from his sister suddenly surface. He tried holding back the tears but they wouldn't obey so he closed his eyes. He shut them as tightly as he could manage as though it would shut out the chaos that his world had become. As if closing them would keep him from having to look at the mess he made. All the pain he was suffering...Courtney's pain...and PJ's...

….all of it was his fault. It was easy to blame Courtney. Too simple to say that he cheated on her because she wasn't there for him, her attitude, the state of their home...and a billion other excuses. It wasn't her fault.

It was his. He cheated because he was a selfish, weak coward. It was easier to seek solace in the arms of another woman rather than face his problems at home.

"I don't know about having a relationship with Courtney.." Chez rubbed her brother's arm affectionately. She was trying to comfort him. She was one of the few that could. "It's not too late to make it right for the sake of your son, though."

"How am I supposed to do that? She won't answer my calls and nobody will tell me where she moved from John's." He didn't even bother to hold back the tears anymore. This woman was his best friend. She'd seen him on his brightest days and his darkest.

"You didn't get this from me..." She sang. "...but she's in town for the hearing, by herself, and she mentioned that she was going to a certain coffee shop that may or may not be a favorite of her's." Chez wrapped her hands around his wrist and pulled on his arm, trying to coax him up.

"If you hurry, you might be able to catch her."

* * *

She loved this place.

When she was a little girl growing up on the South-side of Chicago...they were too poor to go there. They would often pass by on one of their many trips to the northern part of the city and she would stare in awe at the jewel of Navy Pier, the Ferris Wheel, with it's thousands of lights glittering over the waters of Lake Michigan.

She begged her father and her mother and they would always promise her...next year. As soon as dad finds a better job...next year. We'll try for your birthday...next year.

The jobs came and so did the birthdays but they never made it to Navy Pier.

When she finally had the means to go, she couldn't. Randy would never allow her any time in the city unless it was with him and he had no desire to visit such a magical place as Navy Pier with it's breath-taking views of the lake and the Chicago skyline. No, it wasn't until she met Phil.

It was their first actual "date" after she'd left Randy and she could remember it like it was freshly planted in her memory. One of the happiest days of her life spent holding his hand and walking down the boardwalk. Nobody bothered them that day and she was sure her face was sore from the obnoxious grin she'd worn the entire time. Just the two of them. Laughing. Smiling. Not a care in the world. Completely in love.

Yeah. Two of her dreams came true that day.

She finally got her ride on that Ferris Wheel she'd dreamed about all of her childhood and she realized that day that she'd found the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

Even though she'd just "escaped" her abusive boyfriend and she still wore the marks on her face at that time, things seemed simpler then. It was the last time she could remember just being happy with Phil. Things had gone downhill after that. The drama of her pregnancy, then the struggle of adjusting to life with PJ, and now the affair. Sure, they'd had good moments at various points but that was the last time it ever felt effortless...like it was just a state of _being_ for them.

This why it felt like the right place to take her thoughts after getting her coffee from The Wormhole, her favorite coffee shop, located just a hop and skip from Phil's front door. She'd wasted little time getting in and out of there. She didn't want to go back to the hotel. PJ was in Florida with Nikki and, even though he'd insisted, she asked Roman not to come. She didn't want another scene with Phil and she knew there would be one if she brought her new beau with her. She was alone. She'd been alone many times in this city but she'd never _felt _alone. The city was always bustling with life. There was always something to do, somewhere to go, and someone to talk to. It was different now.

She couldn't go anywhere, everywhere reminded her of him. She couldn't go see anyone, her friends were his. She didn't realize how much of her life he'd actually encompassed.

This was why she chose to stay in Florida.

Chicago didn't feel like home anymore. This was his city.

But she wouldn't let him have this place.

The focus of all her childhood wishes and desires, this place was her's.

So, now, she sat on one of the many empty park benches on the historic East End of Navy Pier, taking in the stunning beauty of the vast expanse of water in front of her.

Her attention was brought to the buzzing phone in her back pocket. She pulled it out and glanced down at the screen.

It was Roman calling...again. He'd called her a few times since she'd gone for her coffee but she didn't want to talk to him. She liked Roman. She appreciated the patience and kindness he'd shown her and PJ but she couldn't talk to him right now. Hell, she didn't want to talk to anyone. She just wanted to stare out at the lake and forget about Phil. PJ. Roman. Paige. Everything.

"Do you remember when we had P's second birthday here?" The voice she'd been avoiding, heart-wrenchingly familiar, drew her out of her void.

She didn't bother to turn around to look him. She didn't want to see him. Not after all the terrible things he'd said to her at the ball park. "How did you know I was here, Phillip?" She said flatly.

"I didn't." He replied. "Well, I promised her that I wouldn't tell, but Chez told me you were going to The Wormhole. I tried to catch up with you there and I missed you, obviously. After that, I didn't want to go back to that empty apartment...so I came here." He came around the bench and took a seat next to her. "I needed to clear my head and this is a good place to do that."

Still, she wouldn't look at him. Her father had taught her that looking a man in the eye was a show of respect but she didn't respect Phil anymore. How could she? He'd cheated. He'd lied. He'd told her their son was a mistake. A burden he never wanted. "Well, this isn't the only bench here, Phillip." Her cool voice was barely a whisper.

She knew Phil could take a hint but that didn't mean he necessarily would. In this case, he didn't.

"Look, Court." He exhaled. "I know you don't want to talk to me but we need to. We need to talk about us. We need to talk about PJ."

She finally turned her head to him. "_Us?" _She laughed to scorn. "There is no "us", Phillip. There is you and there is me."

"And PJ." He added. "Our son."

"That you never wanted..." The words still haunted her. She wouldn't let him forget them either.

"I deserved that." Phil slumped back on the bench. "I spoke when I was angry and I should have kept my mouth shut. You know it isn't true, though."

No, she didn't. She didn't know what was true anymore. Her entire world had been an illusion and he shattered it when he took that woman to bed.

"PJ's my world, Courtney." He continued. "I'll admit, there are things I miss about being a child-free bachelor but I'd miss so much more if I didn't have him."

She stared at him, his eyes focused on the body of water in front of them.

He was telling the truth. She could tell by the bags under his eyes, he hadn't slept in a while. She could always tell when he wasn't sleeping well. It was usually when something was bothering him.

She suddenly noticed that he looked like shit. His hair was unkempt, a mess on top of his head, but that wasn't unusual. His normally bright eyes were sullen and withdrawn. His dark gym shorts and white t-shirt were wrinkled...he'd probably been moping around the house for days. He was always the best at sulking. It was obvious, from his curled shoulders to the angst behind his eyes, his words had hurt him just as much as they'd hurt her.

"We both said things we didn't mean that day." Courtney admitted.

A sad smile teased the corner of Phil's mouth. "Oh yeah? You don't think I am a pompous ass?"

She giggled. "No. You are probably the biggest asshole that I've ever met in my life but it's one of your most endearing attributes."

The sad smile that was teasing Phil's mouth spread across his face into a wide grin. His gorgeous smile was contagious. She could feel her own smile beginning to trace her lips.

Another one of his endearing qualities. His smile could light up the darkest of her moods and she didn't realize how much she'd missed it until this moment.

"I remember." She broke her gaze from him, ignoring the fluttering in her stomach. "PJ's birthday." She needed to change the subject.

"Oh yeah." Phil drew in a deep breath, straightening himself up on the bench with a renewed vigor. Apparently, knowing that Courtney understood he didn't mean those awful words he spoke in that parking lot improved his mood substantially. "Look at this.." Phil withdrew his wallet from his pocket and pulled a small, worn photo out.

It was the three of them standing in front of that large Ferris Wheel. For PJ's second birthday, they'd decided against a party...much to the dismay of their friends and family. All they wanted was a simple day together as a family. She couldn't think of better place for that than the place she'd been happiest. They were all smiling. Phil had the boy on his shoulders and Courtney's arms around his waist, hugging tightly to the side of him. She couldn't even remember who'd taken that photo of them. She did remember how content she'd been.

Her earlier thought wasn't true. Their first date hadn't been the best day of her life or the last time they were sincerely happy.

That day, on the Pier with their son, as a family was the last time she could actually remember being truly happy. She could see it behind their carefree smiles. Everything in the world had been right that day.

What a difference a year and six months can make.

"Were you cheating on me then?" The words left her mouth before she realized what she was saying. The thought had been on her mind, looking at the picture. Part of her wanted to know that this moment wasn't lie like the rest of their relationship, their life together. She hadn't expected the words to just fall out of her mouth.

"No." He answered quickly and firmly. "I was always faithful to you, Courtney, until Paige."

"Why?"

He looked out at the water again. "I don't know, Court." He shrugged. "Don't ask me to try to and make it make sense for you when I can't even make sense out of it for myself. I can't change it. I regret it. You were a good woman to me. I couldn't ask for a better mother to my son. Things just got rough...I wish I could take it back."

She wished he could take it back too. She wished they could go back to that family in the photo.

They couldn't. She and Phil could never be together again. She couldn't trust him and even if she could, every time he touched her...all she could see was him touching Paige.

But, he did deserve a chance to be a father to their son. No matter how terrible a boyfriend he'd been, he always excelled at fatherhood. PJ was lucky to have a dad that loved him as much as Phil loved their boy.

She shivered at the thought of how childish she'd been. She had no legitimate reason to keep their son from him. She'd only done it to hurt him, the way he hurt her...but the only person who really hurt in all of this was their boy.

"Are you cold, Court?" He must have noticed her trembling limbs.

It was a cool night by the lake, but that wasn't why she was shivering. She shivered because she was sick to her stomach at the thought of the toll their behavior had taken on their innocent son.

"Just a little bit.." She lied.

He removed his gray hooded jacket from his body and draped it on her shoulders. "Here."

She didn't refuse it.

It didn't mean anything. It was just a jacket. He was just being a gentleman.

Another quality she loved about him...or used to love.

She wasn't sure how she felt anymore.

"Look, Phil.." She slid her arms into the jacket, pulling it tight around her, taking in his warmth and and the familiar smell of him. "I know we have court tomorrow but I won't fight you. In fact, I think it would be best if we just dropped it and worked out our own way for you to be in PJ's life."

"I am willing to do that." He agreed.

After a brief silence, he spoke again. "Hey, um.." He hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I know you are with Roman and all so I get it if you say no..." His voice trailed off, like he'd decided not to finish the thought.

"What, Phil?" She wanted to hear what he had to say.

"Do you want to go eat?" He asked. "Just a friendly dinner." He quickly added. "To talk about PJ...maybe make a plan for me to see the little guy soon."

She nodded.

It wasn't a terrible idea. Just a dinner as friends. What would it hurt? Wasn't she just thinking about how lonely she was in the city? They needed to learn to coexist for their son.

An innocent dinner was a good place to start.

"I could eat."

* * *

**Oh, good. :) **

**Yeah...a simple meal together _can't_ hurt...right? ;)**

**I hope you enjoyed.**


	13. Chapter 13

**First, I want to thank you all for reading and reviewing. I am sorry that I am not updating as much as I used to. I just feel like I produce better chapters if I take time to write them, read them, and revise them. I feel like I give you guys better quality reading if I take the time on these chapters instead of forcing them out in one night. I hope you understand.**

* * *

It was almost like nothing had ever changed. He'd never cheated on her. She'd never taken their son and left him to make a new life in Florida.

Just the two of them sitting across from one another in an isolated back booth of her favorite restaurant, Capi's Italian Kitchen. The same booth the manager gave them every time they came in so they could enjoy their meal in peace.

He knew it was her favorite. Every birthday. Every anniversary. A trip out to liven her spirits, he would take her to this restaurant.

She assumed that was his reasoning behind his restaurant choice tonight.

There was nothing outwardly romantic about it. Just a brightly lit, casual, cafeteria styled restaurant. Nothing special about it all but she loved the food. The staff. The upbeat atmosphere.

The memories.

This dinner had been so similar to those memories.

Same booth. Same meals they always ordered.

The conversation and laughter flowed throughout their meal just like in her memories. If it wasn't for Roman's name repeatedly popping up on her phone and their talk of time-sharing for PJ...she could have forgotten that they weren't together anymore.

"It's so ironic..." Courtney commented as she stared out the passenger window of Phil's car, thinking back on their time at the restaurant they just left.

"What's that?"

She turned her head to him, smiling. "We haven't had a dinner together, just the two of us, since PJ was born.."

"...we finally do and it's _after _we've broken up." Phil's thoughts were clearly on the same track as her own.

It was cruel irony. Ever since the birth of their son, they hadn't enjoyed the pleasure of one date night, romantic dinner, movie together, or anything of the sorts. Phil had so little free time from the road, he insisted on spending all of it as a family. Anywhere, everywhere, they went...PJ went along. His sisters, Nikki, and the rest of their friends and family were always offering to take the little boy for a few hours for them but he would never hear of it. PJ was his world. His priority.

Maybe they wouldn't be in their current state if they'd both taken the time to remember...before they were PJ's...she was his and he was her's. Maybe if they had taken the time for those date nights and those romantic dinners, she wouldn't have become the irritable woman that pushed him into the arms of another woman.

"Yeah..." She exhaled, sliding down in the seat. "Well, I am just glad we could sit down together and have a talk that didn't end with one of us storming away."

Phil kept his eyes on the busy road of E Grand Ave, tapping his thumbs on the steering wheel. "Just like old times..." He said with a shallow sigh.

Things were silent for a moment. Courtney focused her gaze on her loosely clasped hands in her lap. She felt strangely content. It was the first time in months she'd felt such a lack of tension and stress. It wasn't happiness. It equated to a feeling of almost nothingness. She wasn't happy. She wasn't sad. She wasn't mad.

She was just content to sit there with Phil.

Turning her gaze to him, it was clear that he was also at peace with the present situation. His eyes were sparkling, weightless, as he hummed and nodded along with the music on the radio.

It _was _just like old times.

Just like those old times, she was tempted to reach out and take his hand in her's like she used to do every time they were in the car. She wasn't sure if it was out of habit or the repressed feelings that had been stirring and trying to resurface since he smiled at her on the boardwalk.

"Why do you have to listen to that stuff so loudly?" She reached, instead, for the volume knob on the radio.

Some random punk rock band had been blaring on the radio. It didn't bother her. She was used to it and some of it was actually good. She just needed to take her mind off the nostalgia building in the car.

He smacked her hand and shot her a quick warning glance. "Touch my radio one more time and you will pull back a bloody stub." He teased, a small smirk uplifting the corner of his mouth. "Just enjoy the free ride and shut your pretty little mouth. I could have just left your ass to the mercy of the Chicago Transit Authority.

He could be such a jerk but she enjoyed it. He was always real with people and had no issues with telling anyone how he felt or what he thought, even her. Roman, on the other hand, was much more quiet and patient with her. She almost always got her way with him, which was nice, but she liked the way Phil challenged her with his "devil may care" personality. There was something almost passionate about it. Something she'd never felt before him and something she hadn't felt since, not even with Roman.

"Well, chick, here you are." She hadn't realized they were so close to the hotel. She'd been too focused on him and the conflicting thoughts and feelings inside her head.

She was glad. She needed to get out of that car...quick. She'd convinced herself that she was happy without him. She was glad he was gone. He was a liar, cheat, and she didn't need him. Now, after their talk by the lake, a wonderful dinner, and the pleasant ride to the hotel...she was beginning to remember all the reasons she did need him. The reasons she loved this man.

But she knew that she needed to let go of how she felt and remember what she deserved. She did not deserved to be cheated on and she didn't deserve to be lied to.

He didn't deserve her.

"Thanks for the ride, Phil." She said, quickly unbuckling the seat belt. "I'll see you at the courthouse tomorrow. Have a nice rest of the night." She stepped out of the car, shutting the door behind her and setting off down the sidewalk towards the hotel.

Behind her, she heard the engine shut off and his door open and shut.

"Hey, Court." He called out behind her.

She quickened her pace as he jogged up behind her.

"Court, hold up." His voice was closer this time.

She slowed down knowing that she couldn't escape his long legs anyway. She wanted, needed, to get away from him and the feelings he'd reignited. Feelings that were clouding and confusing her already heavy mind.

"Courtney." She felt his hand grabbing her elbow, halting her easily. "What happened? Why did you rush off like that? I thought we were having an alright time."

Her heart was pounding in her chest. So hard that it hurt. She could hear it and she was certain he could too.

"We were." She answered softly, mentally and emotionally exhausted. "I'm just tired and I need to get some rest before we go see the judge tomorrow. Plus, Roman has called me like thirty times. I am sure he's worried and I need to call Nikki to check on PJ." Her voice trailed off. She'd ran out of excuses for her sudden change in behavior.

Phil seemed to buy it. "Okay." Came his quiet reply. "I just wanted to thank you for talking to me tonight. Dinner was nice and I am glad we are getting things settled for P's sake."

"Yeah, it was nice. Thank you." She extended her hand, ready to end their night together and the conversation. "Have a nice night and I will see you tomorrow."

He ignored her hand.

Instead he pulled her into his body, his arms encircled her waist, holding her tight. Instinctively, her own arms wrapped themselves around his torso.

"You're the mother of my son, not a stranger on the street." He spoke into her ear. "I'm not shaking your hand." His lips pressed against her hair. "Goodnight, Court."

She didn't fight him or try to break their embrace. Instead, she allowed their hug to linger. Resting her weary head against his chest, allowing him to hold her.

It'd been so long since she'd felt the warmth of his embrace. She'd often laid in bed at night, clinging to the pain of their separation, wishing she could feel the comfort of the arms of the person who'd caused her such pain. It was another bit of cruel irony to her. How she wanted so badly to be wrapped up in his arms but she also wanted him to leave her alone...

If only she could trust him again. If only he hadn't wrecked her vision of him as her savior, her soul mate, and the one person she could count on above all others. If only she wasn't with Roman...

"Momma! Daddy!" Their tender moment was interrupted by the sound of their son's voice.

Courtney and Phil immediately broke their embrace, taken by complete surprise at the sight of their son running up to them.

"P-man!" Phil exclaimed as PJ jumped into his arms. "What are you doing here, kiddo?"

"Yeah." She added. "Where's Aunt Nikki?"

Her son was supposed to be in Florida. She'd kissed him goodbye last night just before getting on to her plane. What was he doing in Chicago? How did he get there?

"I've been trying to call you, baby doll." Her question was answered by the deep voice behind her. "Is something wrong with your phone?"

The barrage of phone calls she'd ignored all day suddenly made sense as Roman approached them, his dark hair pulled back into a slick pony-tail.

"Rome!" She gave a hard smile. "What are you doing here?" She knew she should be happy, thrilled, to see her boyfriend walking up to her but all she could feel was a irritated, though she didn't know why.

Roman didn't look at her, focusing instead on her ex standing next to her. "You sounded a little down on the phone last night, baby doll." The sharp glint in his gray eyes told her all she needed to know. "I wanted to make you feel better, but it looks like you're doing fine to me."

He'd witnessed their moment of closeness.

"Yeah! Momma! We wanted to surprise you!" PJ shouted with excitement from his father's arms. "Aunt Nikki said it would make you feel better."

"Well.." Courtney poked her tongue lightly in her cheek, inhaling a long breath. "What a surprise?" She wasn't nearly as excited as she pretended to be for her boy. "I am so glad to see both my boys."

She was miffed.

Although she trusted Roman with PJ, she couldn't believe that Nikki would just send him across country with her son without even running it by her. She knew Nikki like Roman, she was the one that set them up, but she was so protective of PJ...it was out of character. Then again...Nikki hadn't cared for the idea of Courtney in Chicago...alone with Phil. Of course, she would be behind this plan.

"Hold up a fucking minute." Phil spoke up from beside her.

She could see it behind the hard expression on his face. She knew him too well. It was written all over his sharp, defined jaw line. It definitely couldn't be missed in his tart tone.

"Is it me? Am I the crazy one here?" He raised his eyebrow at Roman, a cool gleam in his eyes.

"Am I the only one that doesn't think it is okay for a man to transport another man's child across the country just because he is putting it on the kid's mom?"

* * *

**Ooooh, Courtney? What are you doing? What if Roman hadn't shown up? EEP.**

**Punk doesn't seem to thrilled...**

**Thanks guys! Be sure to fave, follow, and review.**


	14. Chapter 14

_**Flashback:**_

"_I don't know if this is a good idea, Nicole." Courtney observed herself in the full-length mirror of John & Nikki's master bathroom. "It's not me." She adjusted the strapless front of the black dress with careful fingers. Nikki had picked it out especially for this occasion but it didn't feel right to Courtney. It was a simple black dress but it left little to the imagination. It fit snugly to the curves given to her body by motherhood and the hem of the dress stopped just inches below her womanhood. She was almost afraid to breathe in fear that she would suffer a wardrobe malfunction._

_She could see Nikki behind her in the mirror, beaming with pride and satisfaction. "It's not the OLD you." Nikki placed her hands on Courtney's shoulders. "You aren't that woman anymore. You are more than just a mother. You are more than just CM Punk's 'baby momma' and ex-Diva, Courtney Scott. You are a beautiful woman with a beautiful personality and a wonderful body." Nikki's eyes met Courtney's in the mirror and smile spread on her crimson lips. "You're a new woman with a new life and you look fabulous, my love."_

"_I just don't think I am ready for this." A blush filled Courtney's cheeks as she continued to eye the stranger in the mirror. She didn't recognize the woman with the short brown hair falling in soft waves to a spot just below her chin. Despite what Nikki said, this woman wasn't her. This woman was elegant and sexy with her smoky eyes and dark plum lips. _

"_Yes, you are." Nikki assured her. "I know that it's only been three weeks but you need to get out of this house and one night out with a nice gentleman isn't going to hurt you."_

_Shouldn't she feel nervous or excited, even, at the prospect of a blind date? She didn't. She felt empty. There was a pit at the bottom of her stomach left by Phil. It was a simple date, nothing serious, but she couldn't imagine any man ever filling the spot he left. Why bother?_

"_No. No. No." Courtney shook turned to Nikki, shaking her head fervently. "This isn't right. I'm not over Phil, Nikki. Not yet. It's not fair to who ever this guy is. Just call him and-"_

_She wasn't getting out of it so easily._

"_Hey, Cinderella." John stuck his head in the bathroom, acknowledging her transformation from a "plain Jane" exhausted mother to the raving beauty in the mirror. "Prince Charming awaits." _

_It was her first thought as she carefully maneuvered her way down the steps in the black peep-toed LouBoutins loaned to her by Nikki. "Phil wore a suit like that to Axxess last year."_

_Her second thought was that the familiar gentleman cleaned up nicely. She actually felt a small pang of attraction at the sight of him in the sharp-looking black-on-black suit & tie, well-fitted to his muscular body. With his long dark hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail and his neatly manicured goatee...he was a sharp contrast to the man in her heart. Still, he was devastatingly handsome._

"_This is certainly a surprise, Roman." She spoke as she came to a stop at the bottom of the steps. _

"_A pleasant surprise, I hope?" The nervous laughter in his voice signaled to her that he was as anxious as her about their blind-date, arranged by Nikki. _

_It was endearing to her, his nervousness. It felt humbling to her and different, but welcomed. Phil was always so confident...so sure of himself when it came to her. It was nice to know that she could still rattle a man, especially one as strapping and handsome as Roman Reigns._

"_Yes, Roman." She smiled. "This is most definitely a pleasant surprise."_

* * *

Everything happened so quickly.

For a moment she clung to him tightly, warm and alive in his arms. Her hair brushed his cheek. The color had come back into the world; he could breathe again, and for that moment he breathed her in – she smelled of lavender. The scent of her favorite lotion and the same she'd worn since he met her. It reminded him of every good day he'd ever had.

For that moment, everything in the world seemed right. It was the first bit of hope he'd felt in the last three months, just holding her in his arms.

Then the sound of his son's enthusiastic voice filled his ears. Though he was surprised to see the small boy running up to them, he was thrilled.

It felt like this night was going to be the best night he'd had in a while. Courtney was there and things seemed good between them. He had his son in his arms.

His optimism for the evening was short-lived.

All he felt was disgust churning in his stomach at the sound of the Samoan's voice. It washed away any hope of fixing things with Courtney.

Once he realized that Nikki wasn't there and Roman had flown all the way from Florida with PJ...alone...a mixture of anger and disbelief began to build within him.

He stood there, waiting for her to react. He knew her fiery temper and he knew what a momma bear she could be. There was no way that she would let this go.

But she did.

"Hold up a fucking moment." His hardened gaze bounced from Courtney to Roman. "Is it me?"

He raised his eyebrow at the man. "Am I the crazy one?"

Phil felt the reddening of his face and the hair stiffening on his nape. "Am I the only one that doesn't think it is okay for a man to transport another man's child across the country just because he is putting it on the kid's mom?"

"Phillip." Courtney spoke cautiously.

"Excuse me?" Roman crossed his arms, a smile slipping across his lips. "P and I are cool, Punk."

Had he really just referred to the boy by _his _nickname for him? A name that he'd called the child since birth. A term of endearment. Something nobody else ever called him. A father's heartfelt moniker for his son.

"Oh, no." Phil scoffed. "If you're already screwing the mother of my son and transporting him across the country, I insist that you just call me _Phil._"

"Calm down, Phil." Courtney's hand was on his chest. "It's fine." She attempted to reassure him. "PJ likes Roman and-"

"I DON'T GIVE A SHIT." Only moments ago, he was thankful to feel her touch but now he found himself shoving her hand off him. He didn't want to be touched by this woman.

How could she keep his son from him for months but let this man that barely knew PJ take certain liberties with him.

"He is MY son!" Phil continued. He couldn't hold the irritation, the frustration, within him and he made no attempt to.

"Well, maybe you should act like it." Roman spoke calmly.

A flash of anger heated up in his chest. "Excuse me?" Phil cocked his head. "What the fuck did you just say to me?"

"You heard me." Roman remained stoic. "I didn't stutter."

"No offense, sweetheart." Phil spoke to the mother of his child next to him but his eyes locked on Roman's. The tension between the two men was quickly growing to a fever pitch on the city sidewalk. "I think you need to explain to your boy toy that _I _am not at fault for the lack of time spent with PJ."

Courtney stepped in between the two men. "Guys, this is not necessary. Let's ju-"

"You're really still going to blame Courtney for everything that happened?" Roman ignored the woman trying to defuse the situation. "She didn't make you hop into bed with another woman behind her back. If you would have kept it in your pants, you would still have your son at home. You weren't thinking about him then, were you?" Roman smirked. "Just saying, for a man that is so quick to remind everyone that PJ is his, you don't seem to put much thought in how he is affected by the consequences of your actions."

Phil placed PJ in Courtney's arms and stepped past her, coming almost nose-to-nose with the other man. "Fuck you, Reigns." Roman's audacity had the rage swirling within Phil. "You don't know shit about me or my son." He bit, voice trembling with anger.

"You're only proving my point for me." Roman shrugged. "Your son is right there and you're worried about me. You could be spending time with PJ right now but you are worried about starting a fight with me in the middle of the street over a three hour flight?"

"Roman. Phil, please..." Courtney pleaded. "Could you not do this in front of PJ."

Phil heard her but his anger wouldn't let him think about her or his son. All he could focus on was the fury boiling within his heart for Roman. All he could feel was the trembling of his body and his fist tightening at his side. He couldn't even process a thought to speak, his jaw clenched.

"_Who the hell does this man think he is?" _The thought pounded in his head as they stared one another down.

"This isn't about that, is it?" A knowing smile crept upon Roman's face. "You're upset, jealous, because I am the one that gets to lay down next to Courtney's beautiful head at night and I have you to thank for-"

It happened without any thought on his part. The next thing his brain processed was his knuckles whining in protest from the impact.

"Phillip!" Courtney rushed to Roman's side. "What the hell!?"

He hadn't hit the Samoan enough to knock him down but enough to rock him back on his heels. He palmed his jaw where Phil's fist had connected. "Do you feel better now, Punk?" He spat blood. "You want your son to think that is how a real man acts?"

"Much better." A satisfied grin spread across Phil's face. "I want my son know that he doesn't have to take shit from anybody, especially not his mother's _know-it-all_ boyfriend."

"That is enough!" Courtney declared sharply, stepping between the two men again. "I think it is best that you go, Phillip."

She was right about that. He should go. They'd already caused enough of a scene in the middle of downtown Chicago. There was no way that the altercation wasn't witnessed by someone. It would probably be all over the internet by the time he got home. A phone call Vince or Stephanie was probably in his near future as well.

"I want to go with Daddy." The boy must have wrapped himself around his father's leg when Courtney sat him down to rush over to Roman. Phil had been too immersed in the drama of the moment to notice.

"Now, P, that probably isn't-" He knew there was no way Courtney would let the boy go with him, especially after he decked her boyfriend.

He was wrong.

"That's a wonderful idea, PJ. You want to spend the night with daddy?" She interrupted. "I think you and Daddy could use some time alone together."

"Are you serious?" Roman eyed her in disbelief. "You are going to let him go with him after the way he just acted."

"You're still going to run your fucking mouth about me and my son?!" Phil challenged the_ Powerhouse _of The Shield.

Courtney peeled PJ from Phil's leg and placed him in his father's arms. "Here, just take him and go. Enough is enough."

He didn't protest.

Time with his son was all he wanted. Even if she was sending the boy with him just to get him to go without any more conflict, he was grateful and he wasn't going to risk her changing her mind by continuing to go back and forth with Roman.

"Come on, P." He and Roman exchanged one last parting glare. "Let's go home."

* * *

**First, I am sorry that updates have slowed down. I will get back on track again and update as frequently as I used to from now on. I guess I just got a little discouraged there for a bit. I worried that nobody was enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it but I am over that and back! So, I am back and things are about to get gooooooooooood!**

**Hope you enjoyed! Much love to all of you!**


	15. Chapter 15

"Courtney, you are a great woman." Roman sat on the edge of the bed in Courtney's hotel room. "I don't understand how you lived with that jerk for four years." He was still rubbing his jaw from Phil's assault on the sidewalk outside the hotel.

Courtney stared out the window, still shoving down the feelings roused by her time with Phil that evening and the confusion they brought with them. "He's not so bad, Rome." She continued to gaze through the window at the empty street below. Despite common misconceptions, downtown Chicago or "The Loop", as they call it...was usually dead at this time of night. So, she stared out into nothing because she couldn't look Roman in his eye. She feared he would look right into her and see that Phil dominated her mind.

"You aren't going to take up for him, are you?" Roman asked, a tinge of disbelief in his voice.

She didn't offer a response. She kept her eyes on the Chicago skyline.

How could she tell Roman that she didn't hold any animosity towards Phil for his behavior on the street. Despite Roman's statement right before Phil had socked him in the jaw, Courtney knew that it wasn't about her. She'd seen it in his eyes when the realization dawned on him that Roman was the one who brought PJ to Chicago. He was angry. Despite her trust and confidence in Roman, she couldn't blame Phil for being upset and concerned about his son and Roman's sharing of his opinions on the matter certainly didn't help.

"Maybe you shouldn't have said what you said..." She mumbled more to herself than Roman.

She winced at the sound of Roman's weight lifting from the bed. The words had slipped from her mouth without a thought.

"He punched me in the face, Courtney, in front of your child." She wasn't looking at him but his tone signaled that he was exasperated. "How can you take his side?"

She finally turned to him and she could the hurt and confusion in his eyes. "I'm not taking anyone's side." She stated firmly. "I am just saying that you didn't need to say the things that you did. It wasn't the time or place."

"They needed to be said by someone." Roman stood firm. "PJ's whole life has been shaken up because of his father's decisions. First, he had to move to Florida because his father cheated. Then, he is kicked off of his t-ball team before the season even starts because his father acted like an asshole. Now, he may have to come back to Chicago based off whatever happens in court tomorrow." Roman was shaking his head. "How can you not be completely livid at this man for the things he is putting PJ through?"

"Because I have put PJ through just as much." She returned.

She liked Roman. She'd enjoyed every moment they'd spent together since she met him at the bottom of John's steps all those weeks ago. However, in this moment, she was beginning to see where Phil's mind had been out there on the sidewalk. Roman didn't know the entire story. Nobody did, except her and Phil. Although she appreciate his concern and care for PJ, he had no right to tell her or Phil how to act in this situation.

"Roman, Phil didn't see PJ for two months because I would not let him." She continued. "PJ adores his dad and I am sure it hurt PJ more than it hurt Phil. My son suffered because of my pride and vindictive need to get revenge on his father."

They stood there in silence, each staring the other down. Her hazel eyes locked defiantly with his grey ones.

"Fine." Roman finally answered, voice soft but tense. "If you think I was out of line, I apologize, sweetheart." His features softened and he sighed, dropping his arms to his side. "I didn't come here to fight with him and I certainly didn't come here to fight with you."

"_Why did you come here?"_ She found herself thinking as she turned back to the window, folding her arms. Despite Roman's apology, she still found herself irritated with him, though not so much for the things he'd said to Phil.

Her mind drifted back to the moment she'd shared with the father of her son just before Roman arrived and shook everything up. She closed her eyes, savoring the memory of his touch, his warmth...his breath on her skin. Her own body began to tingle at the thought of his arms around her.

"You know, baby-doll." Roman was behind her. "We have a whole night to ourselves in this nice hotel room." His arm slipped around her waist. "I can think of a few things I'd rather be doing than fighting over _CM Punk._" Roman's deep, lust-filled voice hinted in her ear.

She felt an uncomfortable plunge in her stomach. "Oh, no, Roman." She slipped away from him. "Not tonight. I have to get up early for court and I have too much on my mind." She lied.

The only thing on her mind was Phil. He was the only thing that was ever on her mind every time she turned down Roman's advances. Despite Phil's statement on the sidewalk, she'd never slept with Roman. Their relationship, so far, had been nothing but sweet and innocent. A kiss here..a hug there.

Not that he didn't try, just like he was trying now. Every time...she shot him down with some excuse. _I'm tired. PJ's in the next room. I want to take things slow. I don't feel well._ He didn't rush her. He didn't pressure her and for that she was thankful. Roman knew what she was coming out of and he'd known what he was getting in to. He'd been nothing but patient with her but she wasn't sure how much longer he would remain so.

Roman's shoulders slumped with defeat but he didn't get the opportunity to protest.

Her phone was singing on the dresser. Thankful for the distraction, she grabbed it and quickly answered without even bothering to look at the caller ID.

"It's PJ." Phil's worried voice came through the phone. "Something's wrong."

"What do you mean? How could something be wrong? You've only had him for a few hours?"

"What's wrong with PJ? Is he okay?" Roman's voice came from behind her.

She threw her hand up, signaling Roman to hold on for a second so that she could listen to Phil explain what was going on with their son.

"Okay. Okay." She nodded as though Phil could see it through the phone. "Just give me thirty minutes and I'll be there."

She saw the flash in Roman's eyes as soon as she disconnected the call. This was going to be another fight.

"Roman, I have to go." She grabbed a jacket, Phil's jacket, off the back of a nearby chair. "PJ is sick and he needs me."

"How do you know that?" Roman crossed his arms, adopting a challenging tone. "This could just be play on his part to get you alone. I saw the way he held you this evening. The ma-"

She couldn't believe him. This man who spoke up so passionately for PJ was standing here telling her that she shouldn't rush to her son's side. Out of jealousy, of all things. He didn't say it but it was written all over his tone and taut face.

"Maybe so." She hurriedly slipped into the jacket. "I won't take the chance that it isn't. My baby needs me and I am not going to make him wait a moment longer than he has to." She walked over to the door and grabbed the handle but stopped to turn to Roman. "Everything is fine, Ro." She didn't want to leave him on a sour note. "Phil and I are over. You don't have to worry about that." She offered him a weak smile.

"I'm just going to check on PJ and get him settled. I'll be back before you know it." With that she walked out of the room, closing the door, leaving Roman and his disappointment behind her.

* * *

"How are you feeling, P-man?" Phil sat in the dark living room with his shivering son in his lap. "Are you feeling any better at all" He fussed over the ill boy, wrapping the Cubs blanket tight around the kid.

PJ was listless in his father's arm, resting his head against his father. Despite the dose of ibuprofen Courtney had instructed him to give the child over the phone, Phil could still feel the warmth of the child's fever against the bare flesh of his chest.

"I want my mommy." PJ's weak voice whined.

Phil stroked his son's hair. "I know, P." He kissed the top of his son's head. "She's on her way."

It was a relief to him...just knowing she was on her way. It was his first night alone with the kid...ever and he'd never dealt with a sick child before. It was always Courtney who sat up with boy on those nights, comforting him. It was always Courtney cleaning up the vomit, doling out the medicine...he'd never realized how much she'd done until she wasn't there to do it.

"Daddy..." PJ's voice was dull and lifeless. "When momma gets here...can I sleep in your bed with you?"

"Oh, P-man." Phil's own heart broke at the boy's request. "Momma's not staying the night, kiddo. She doesn't sleep here anymore. She's just coming to make you feel better." It killed him to know that PJ still didn't understand. "But, once she leaves, you can sleep with dad, okay?"

PJ nodded weakly. "Okay, daddy."

He just held the boy in a scene reminiscent of their first night with PJ in Chicago, waiting for Courtney.

He wished he knew what was ailing his son.

Even more so, he wished he could take it away.

Even more than that, he wished Courtney was there already.

He scoffed at himself in his head. It was ridiculous that he'd ever threatened to take her to court over the boy. If this night had proven anything, it was that he couldn't do this without her.

He needed her almost as much as PJ.

* * *

**Poor PJ :(**

**I hope you enjoy.**

**I will update again tomorrow. Hint: Punk & Courtney...alone...in a dark apartment after all the emotions from the day? What could _possibly_ go wrong?**

**Love ya's!**


	16. Chapter 16

She was completely overcome with worry by the time she arrived to Phil's front door. So much so that she didn't bother with knocking...she had never returned her key.

He hadn't answered any of her calls since she'd called him on the train to tell him how much medicine to give their son. Every terrible scenario was racing through her anxious mind.

_What if PJ was worse? What if Phil had to take him to the hospital and left his phone at home? How would she know where to go? Why wouldn't he call her?_

The apprehension building within her had caused her to chew her bottom lip raw, sick with dread that something terrible had happened to her baby.

"Phil?" She was struck by a complete absence of light as she pushed the door open. "PJ?" She whispered, shutting the door behind her.

The quiet darkness of the apartment was a stark contrast to the scene she'd imagined in her head thanks to Phil's strained voice and PJ's crying in the background during their phone conversation.

She'd his car on the street just before letting herself into the building. She would never imagine him taking their ill son on to the public transit system.

"Phillip?" She didn't know why she was whispering. If he was upstairs there was no way he would hear her hushed voice. There was just _something _about the vaguely quiet apartment that called for her silence.

No answer.

She locked the door behind her and began to navigate her way down the unlit hall. Having lived there for almost the last four years of her life...it was nothing for her to easily guide herself through the pitch-black.

Finally, a faint light crept into the hallway. It was coming from the living room...from the television, she assumed.

"Phil, what's goin-" She paused in the doorway to watch the scene laid out before her.

The only light came from the muted television, tuned to the NHL Network...of course. It cast a glow across the room, highlighting and shadowing the contents of the room. At the center of the calm of the living room Phil's form was spread out on the couch, one arm hanging off the edge, his hand clutching the remote loosely. The other arm was around the waist of their dark-haired boy asleep on his father's tattooed chest. Both of them were snoring faintly...the only sound in the room.

She could feel the tension melting away along with all the anxiety from her body. PJ was fine. Phil hadn't been ignoring her calls because their child was dying in an emergency room somewhere.

Courtney leaned against the door frame of the living room, warmth spreading over her as she watched Phil and their son sleep. There was nothing special about the scene. She'd seen it time and time before. Affection had been plenty in their household before things had gotten sour between the two of them. It was just nice to witness Phil so calm...so serene as he slept, chest gently rising and falling with their son.

Her stomach tightened at the thought of disrupting their slumber but she knew how cranky Phil would be if he slept on the couch all night. She didn't want to think about him going before the judge in one of his infamous moods.

She crept over to the couch and, as gently as possible, reached for PJ, trying not to wake him. Phil's grip on the boy tightened, feeling the boy slip away from him.

"It's me, Phil." She spoke softly. "I'm going to put him in his bed."

He relaxed at the sound of her voice and let go.

Courtney gathered PJ in her arms. The boy stirred a bit, burying his face in his mother's neck.

"Shhh, my baby." She ran a soothing hand through the boy's soft dark hair as she carried him up the steps. The medicine must have worked. PJ's skin was cool and clammy from fighting his earlier fever.

Courtney didn't bother flipping the light switch when she carried PJ into the familiar room. She'd carried her son to bed in this room so many times before...she was working from complete muscle memory.

"Daddy made me feel better, Momma." PJ yawned as Courtney laid him down on the mattress and pulled the blankets over his shoulders.

"I know, sweetheart." She replied, stroking his hair.

PJ mumbled something incoherent before rolling over and snuggling down in his bed. Courtney stood there for a moment, drinking in the sight of her only child before planting a kiss on his cheek and backing out of the room, gently closing the door behind her.

When she returned to the living room, Phil was still sprawled out on the couch. He eyes were still closed when she sat down on small free space of couch near his waist. She sat there for a moment pondering how to wake him.

She thought back to previous times she'd stirred him from the couch to get in the bed. Lazy kisses over his cheek, playful pinches to his side, or stroking his scalp with her fingernails...none of them seemed appropriate now.

Unsure of how to proceed, she resigned herself to watching him sleep. Her heart clenched at the sight of his resting features. She missed him, so much, and she hadn't realized, or even allowed herself to think of missing him of until this moment.

Without thinking, her hand reached and brushed a few strands of hair from his face.

Phil's eyebrows scrunched together and he opened his eyes, glaring at her tiredly. "What the hell are you doing creeping around my house?" His voice a low and husky rumble from sleep.

"I'm not creeping around your house, Phillip." She replied. "I came to help you with PJ but it looks like you already took care of it."

The mention of his son immediately sent Phil's hands to his chest, searching for the boy.

"He's upstairs." Courtney informed him. "I put him in his bed. I was just about to wake you up and tell you to get in the bed. I know how your back hurts when you spend all night on this couch."

"How the hell did you even get in here?" He yawned.

Courtney pulled the small metallic object from her pocket. "Still had my key." She placed it on his chest. "I was just about to show myself out." She stood. "PJ seems fine."

She needed to get out of there and back to Roman. Need to shut of these feelings that her day with Phil had brought forth and push them all away.

"Oh, yeah. He's good now." Phil sat up on the couch, stretching and rubbing his back slightly. She could tell from his wincing that she was right. If he'd been on that couch much longer...it would have taken him hours to get up in the morning.

He hid it so well from the outside world. She was probably one of the few people who knew how much pain he was in on daily basis from the years of entertaining crowds at the expense of his body. She'd spent many nights rubbing his back, getting heating pads from the closet, ice packs from the kitchen, and listening to him toss and turn from the pain and discomfort.

She wanted to reach out and ease his pain now.

"His fever broke and I guess we both passed out." He smacked his lips, rubbing his tired eyes.

"Poor baby." Courtney sighed, thinking about her ill son upstairs. "He seemed fine when you left."

"I know." Phil answered. "He looked a little pale when I put him to bed but he didn't complain that he felt bad. I was down here for an hour, maybe, when he came down the steps looking like death. Covered in sweat...sunken eyes...I thought I was in an episode of _The Walking Dead _there for a second." A faint smile traced his beautiful lips at the memory.

Despite her earlier assertion that she was on her way out, she took a seat on the couch next to him. "Did he get sick?"

Phil nodded. "All over himself, me, and the kitchen." He patted his chest. "Hence my lack of clothing."

She hadn't noticed but, now that he brought it to her attention, all he had on was a pair of dark boxers. Her eyes went to the intricate design covering his hard chest and down the length of him to his toned abdomen. She felt the familiar flutters in her stomach, the quickening of her heartbeat, and the blush filling her cheeks.

_Damn him_.

"Well.." She cleared her throat, changing the subject from Phil's missing clothing. "I can just imagine your face when he heaved his dinner all over you.."

"Right." He chuckled, slumping back on the couch. "The last time I had the contents of that kid's stomach on me...he was still on the tit. So, yeah, imagine me surprise."

His smile, his laughter, was contagious. "Kids throw up to too, Phillip."

"No fucking shit, sweetheart." He rolled his eyes. "I am not a moron. I am just trying to say that I realized how little time alone I have actually spent with him." She watched as the light went out of his eyes. "I had no idea how to act when he came to me like that..."

His head drooped...she could tell he was beating himself up inside. His biggest fear had always been that PJ would feel neglected like he did as a child. He'd always been so worried that he would be like his parents. He never wanted to fail that boy.

"It's okay, Phil." Her hand went to his shoulder. Her body tingled at the touch of his warm skin. "I don't think anybody knows what to do when their child is sick. I was freaking out the entire way here."

Phil shook his head. "No, Court. I've seen you with him." His eyes flickered up to lock with her own. The sorrow and pain in the emerald orbs were a reflection of how Courtney felt.. "You would have known exactly what to do. I never realized how much you did until you weren't here for me to hand him off when things got out of my comfort zone. I am sorry I never took the time to notice or thank you for everything."

The conversation was quickly going somewhere she didn't want it to go. She didn't want his apology. She didn't want her heart to soften towards him anymore than it already had. She didn't want to connect with him or rouse anymore of the feelings she'd worked so hard to hide away the last few months.

"Technically..." She grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "You did try to hand him off to me." She teased.

"Bullshit." He snorted. "I only called because he wanted you and, as you can see, I handled it."

"Yes, I do see that." She acknowledged, standing from the couch once more. She had to get out of there and soon. "You did a wonderful job and you don't need me at all."

Phil reached out and grabbed her wrist before she could even think about slipping out of the room. "That's not true." His eyes stared up at her with nothing by sincerity and regret. "I need you every second of every day."

She closed her eyes, a shallow breath escaping her pained chest. This was exactly what she wanted to avoid. The emotions of the day were already running high. From their re-connection on the pier, his altercation with Roman, their sick son...she was exhausted. She didn't need this. How would she resist those sad jade pools, she never could.

He knew it.

So, she didn't look at him. She kept her eyes shut, fighting the tears building in them and resisting the temptation to meet his gaze. "I should go now." She said softly. "Roman is-"

"No." He tightened his hold on her wrist. "Please, don't go. Not yet." His voice was laden with desperation and sorrow. "I know you hate me for Paige but just stay and talk with me for a while. I miss this..."

She pulled her wrist from his grasp, her hands gathering at her chest. It hurt. She was ill. Her stomach turned. It made her sick...the pull this man had on her. He was her only weakness.

She wanted to stay and talk to him. The thought was much more enticing than going back to the tense hotel room for the some awkward interaction with Roman. It felt so much more natural to just be here with Phil. It felt so much more comfortable there in the place that was her home not so long ago.

So right to be there with him.

"I don't hate you, Phillip." She admitted to him...and herself.

He looked up at her from his seat on the edge of the couch. "I'm glad to hear that." His eyes were sick with misery.

"I wish I could hate you." A shallow sigh escaped her lips as she took a seat next to him. "I want to hate you. I try to hate you. Sometimes, I think I hate you and then I see you-" She stopped, her eyes prickling with tears.

Phil's emerald eyes pierced her, searching her soul for the smallest glimmer of hope. The slightest chance that everything wasn't ruined. The tiniest sign that maybe they could put everything back together. "And what, Courtney?"

She bit her lip, turning away from him. "Nothing, Phil." She didn't need this. She was finally learning to live without him. She wasn't sure she could do that again.

She had a boyfriend waiting for her a few blocks away.

"You see me and then?" The hair on her nape rose with the touch of Phil's hand on her shoulder. "What do you feel when you see me? Tell me."

She closed her eyes, trying her best to block out the feelings beginning to stir in her core. "No." She couldn't articulate the word. She just shook her head.

"You don't have to say it." His voice was soft. "I already know."

Her breath quickened as she felt his arm slip around her waist. "It's the same way I feel when I see you." He drew himself closer to her position.

She could feel him breathing, her back against his chest. She didn't even try to fight it. How long had she dreamed of his touch? How many nights had she lay in bed just aching to reach out and feel him?

Her body craved him and she was ready to cater to it...but her thoughts went back to the Samoan that cared for her and her son so deeply. She could see his sad eyes as she walked out of the hotel room.

"But...Ro..." She couldn't speak. "I ca-"

"Shhhh." He gently swept her hair away from her nape, exposing the bare skin of her neck. "Don't worry about him, baby." His lips teased the skin on her neck, sending welcomed shivers down her spine. "It's just us, sweetheart. It's always been us. You remember?"

She nodded, tilting her head, presenting her neck to him. Inviting him in. She was his for the taking.

His lips brushed against her neck again and she thought her vision would go black, overcome with lust and passion.

Why did he have to play with her?

She turned in his arms, slowly running her fingertips over his chest and back down to his waist. His own hands had slipped under the soft, white fabric of her shirt, sliding it off, and letting it pool behind her. He took a moment to just look at her, encased in black lace.

"You're beautiful, you know that?" He whispered against her ear. "You are the most beautiful woman.."

He didn't give her the opportunity to respond, quickly pushing her down on the couch and settling himself over her, covering her with his hard body. She reacted to him wrapping her legs around his waist and pulling his hips closer, telling him with her every movement that she_ wanted him. _

His mouth hovered over hers. "Do you still want me stop?" He spoke into the warm breath between the two of them. He kissed her throat, lips teasing her until it wasn't his grip on her that was making it hard to breathe. "Are you still worried about pretty boy Reigns." He growled.

Courtney tried to think of something, anything to say. She dug her lust-filled brain for an appropriate response. She didn't mind begging if it meant she would get her way.

"Please...don't stop." The moan was all she could manage. She wanted him to keep going. She wanted him to touch her, to kiss her, to explore her. Her body ached for it. She reached for him, clinging so tightly that her fingers hurt. Everything inside of her hurt.

This was enough for Phil. He kissed her possessively and deeply. She melted into him, unable to stop her heart from thundering.

He teased the waistband of her jeans, fingertips stroking her bare skin and making goose bumps prickle in the wake of his touch.

"Are you sure?" He asked, barely lifting his mouth from hers.

She nodded, but when she tried to speak, her voice trembled.

"Of course I am."

* * *

***GASP***

**Hope you all enjoyed. *wink***


	17. Chapter 17

It was just before dawn when he woke the next morning, vision slightly blurry. His first thought went to the persistent ache in his back. It wasn't an unnatural occurrence for him after spending a night on the couch.

"Oh, fuck." He groaned, arching his back and placing a palm to the source of the pain trying to stifle some of it.

That didn't work. He really didn't expect it to...

He needed to get up. Court was in a few hours and he still had to wake PJ, get him bathed, fed, and dropped off to Chez. He had to get himself together too...if he could just get off the damn couch.

"Ugh..." He groaned once more, shifting his weight uncomfortably.

"Stay." Courtney's groggy voice broke the silence of the room, wrapping a possessive arm around his torso.

The pain and stiffness in his back became just an afterthought as he was reminded of the woman curled up to his side and the events of the night before.

It hadn't been a dream.

She was really there.

He turned on his side, propping his head on one arm to admire the delicate features of the woman sleeping beneath him.

The beautiful mother of his child. The love of his life.

He reached out to remove the locks of dark brown hair that partially covered her face and caressed her jaw line with the lightest touch, not wanting to wake her up. He gently grazed his fingertips down the side of her face, admiring the simple beauty of her.

Closing his eyes, he tried to capture the moment in his memory. If there was one thing their split had taught him, it was not to waste any moment. For the longest time, towards the end, he'd wasted so many moments with her. He stopped taking the time to watch her sleep, so peaceful and serene. With her gone, he'd realized he didn't have many happy moments to think back on. He didn't know how she would act, where her mind would be at, when she awoke.

So...he wouldn't waste this moment.

* * *

As she slowly came awake, three sensations wormed their way into her consciousness.

The first was the sound of a soft thumping against her ear. Slow, steady, strong. It was so hypnotic that she found herself tempted to slip back into sleep.

The second was the feeling of warm air across her forehead that ruffled the hair on her brow.

The third was what she could only assume were fingertips softly grazing the side of her face.

His green eyes, sparkling with contentment were the first thing to meet her gaze once her vision settled.

Her heart stopped as it all came rushing back to her.

The softness of his lips on her skin. The melding of their two glistening and wanting bodies. Deep & passionate kisses. Soft moans as he let his instincts take over. Their slow rhythm giving way to urgent and demanding thrusts of passion. His hands entangled in her hair as he threw her into ecstasy.

It wasn't just another dream like so many of the others she'd had since leaving him and Chicago.

He was really there and they'd really slept together.

"Oh...what have I done?" She gasped, pressing a palm over trembling lips.

Phil, despite his euphoric state, knitted his brows in a look of concern. "What's wrong, Court?"

The sun was starting to come through the over-sized window behind the couch. Given the time of year, mid-October, she guessed that it was probably close to seven in the morning.

She'd been there all night.

Her chest tingled with guilt at the thought of Roman waiting for her back at the hotel.

"This is bad, Phil..." She groaned reaching for a blanket that wasn't there so she just rolled over, turning her back to him. She didn't know why she felt the need to cover herself. He'd seen her in this state so many times before.

"What are you talking about, Court?" She felt his lips on her shoulder. "This is great...I can't remember the last ti-"

"No, Phil." She shook her head, cutting him off. "This is awful." She withdrew from his grasp and stood from the couch. "Roman is probably worried sick. I have to go." She began to gather her clothing from the floor.

"You can't be serious?" She was too busy slipping into her clothes to pay attention to his face but the disbelief in his voice told her all she needed to know.

He thought last night was something it wasn't. He thought she was ready to get back together.

She wasn't.

It was a moment of weakness. A brief lapse in judgment.

"You're going back to Roman?" He'd found his way into his own clothing by the time she pulled her shirt on and turned to him. "You're going back after everything last night?"

"Phil..." She took a deep, pained breath. "Last night..." She hesitated.

Despite how badly he'd broken her heart with Paige...she wasn't ready to break his. The sparkle in his eyes was gone. They'd darkened with pain at the realization that she was leaving him...again.

"...it wasn't what you thought it was..."

"Really?" He sputtered in perplexity. "You damn sure could have fooled me!"

"Phil, I-"

"I mean, what was I suppose to think?" A bemused smile fell upon his face. "Don't quote me but I think your exact words were: _'Oh, Phillip. Don't stop, Phillip. I love you, Phillip. I need you, Phillip.'"_

She grimaced at his impression of her moans the night before. He wasn't exaggerating.

She had said those things...over and over. She'd meant every one of them. She did love him. She did need him.

She just couldn't trust him. She couldn't look past all the hurt.

The damage was done.

"Just words muttered in the throes of passion." She lied. "You probably said the same things to Paige."

"Ooooooooh no..." He shook a finger at her. "You don't get to throw that at me anymore, sweetheart." He smirked. "Not after last night."

She felt her cheeks fluster as the anger and resentment at his statement began to swirl within her. She had cheated on Roman, that much was true. However, these were two different situations.

"How dare you!" Any pity she'd felt for him was gone, replaced with disgust. "You can not compare what happened last night to you and Paige. This is not that!"

"Oh, yeah?" He challenged her. "How do you figure?"

She felt her jaw drop. "Are you serious, Phillip?" She shook her head in disbelief. "WE'RE IN LOVE!" She shouted at him. "I cheated on a man I've been with for a few weeks with the father of my child, a man I love. I was overcome with emotions and nostalgia last night. You cheated on me, the mother of your child, with a tramp on the road to get your rocks off."

"Cheating is cheating, sweetheart." Phil shrugged. "You're as bad as me, princess."

She didn't retort. How could she? He was right. No matter how she rationalized it, she'd cheated on someone who cared about her and trusted her.

"That was probably your play all along, wasn't it?" The thought had come to her suddenly. "You just seduced me last night so I would sleep with you, cheat on Roman, and finally see your perspective and forgive you?"

Phil chuckled, sitting down on the couch. "I didn't seduce you." He kicked back on the couch, propping his feet up on the table, exhibiting a generous amount of smugness. "You wanted it as bad as I did. You were pretty _vocal_ about that at various points in the night." He winked.

"You're right, Phillip." She conceded. "Last night _was _mind-blowing but it was just the closure that this relationship needed and nothing else."

"Closure?" He lifted a single eyebrow. "If anything...last night should show you that we do belong together." He straightened up on the couch, locking eyes with her. "Can you tell me that you've ever felt passion like that with anyone else?"

She hadn't. Not with Randy. Especially not with Roman. Phil was the only one that had ever awakened her soul in such a way. The only one who knew her on such a tender and personal level.

"I didn't think so." Her silence was the answer he needed. "Believe me when I say that I've never had anything like that with another woman."

"If only that had been your mindset when little miss Paige was dangling herself in front of you."

She jumped at the sound of Phil's fist coming down on the table. "For fuck's sake, Courtney!" His loud voice resonated throughout the apartment. "Come off it! I fucking love you! I adore you!" He stood and came around the table, cupping her face in his hands. His eyes piercing into her with intensity. "I worship you and the fucking ground you walk on!"

Then his voice softened, cracking with emotion. "I am sorry...Court...I don't know what else you want from me.."

"Nothing!" She pushed him away. "You're a cheater! You betrayed me! How am I suppose to trust you ever again?"

The silence in the room was deafening. He didn't have to say anything. She knew what his answer would be as soon as the words left her mouth.

"I don't know, Courtney." He spoke after a moment. "I guess...the same way you expect Roman to trust you."

A humorless grin spread across his face. "Like I said, babe, you're despicable as I am."

* * *

She offered no response. She didn't argue with him or protest his statement at all.

He had been right. She was as bad as him. She was a cheater.

"_You're despicable as me now."_ Phil's voice echoed over and over in her head during her entire trip back to the hotel.

She'd been so lost in those words, so haunted by them, she'd forgotten entirely about Roman waiting on the other side of the door when she walked in.

"Courtney!" Roman was standing by the window, still wearing the same clothes he'd worn the night before. She could see the exhaustion in his eyes. He hadn't slept a wink. "Where were you? I've been worried sick that something happened to you." He immediately rushed over to her. "You weren't answering your phone."

"Oh, yeah, I'm sorry." She mumbled, closing the door behind her. "I laid down with PJ and I guess I fell asleep." She wondered if this nausea was the same thing Phil felt every time he came through their door after being with Paige. "I was exhausted from such a long day and I left my phone in Phil's kitchen." She averted her gaze down to her feet. She couldn't look Roman in the eyes. "I'm sorry for worrying you."

"Oh, no, Courtney." The Samoan sighed with relief. "I am just glad you're okay..." He slipped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into an embrace.

"No!" She panicked, pushing him away from her, certain he would smell _it_ all over her if he got too close.

"Court..." Roman stepped back, awash in a mixture of confusion and hurt.

"PJ was throwing up, a lot." She said quickly. "I smell like bile and I just rather you didn't get too close until after I've showered." She feigned a smile and tried to step past him, on a path for the bathroom.

Roman grabbed her arm. "Don't be silly, Court. I have a daughter. I've smelled vomit before. I've been worried sick all night...I just want.." He moved in for a hug again.

"NO, ROMAN!" She shoved him off her once more and stepped past him. "I FUCKING SAID NO!" She shouted, going into the bathroom and slamming the door behind her.

As soon as the lock clicked...she collapsed against the door, consumed by the guilt and confusion. She didn't want to think about the pain in the gray eyes behind the door.

Just like PJ, Roman was an innocent victim in the chaos that was her relationship with Phillip. She cared about Roman. He was so good to her and PJ. All he wanted was to love her...and she betrayed him.

She was afraid of Roman ever finding out. Though, she was unsure if it was because she feared losing him or the drama that would ensue.

She didn't know anything. Everything was confusing. She should have listened to Roman the night before. Phil had PJ handled. She should have never went to that apartment.

"Oh, god." She groaned, crumbling into the fetal position in the middle of the bathroom floor, tears moistening her cheeks.

"Courtney." Roman's deep voice came through the bathroom door. "Baby doll, are you alright?"

Of course. Leave it to Roman. She just jumped down his throat and he was still worried about how _she _felt.

He was so sweet. She didn't deserve him.

Phil had been right.

She _was_ as bad as him.

* * *

**Poor Courtney. Punk really played with her head. Frankly, I don't think she is as bad he is...**

**I hope you all enjoyed. Sorry for the delay.**


	18. Chapter 18

"When did you plan on telling us that you were moving back to Chicago?" Her mother's voice was tinged with a mixture of surprise at the news and hurt that Courtney's hadn't told her parents sooner that she and their grandson would be leaving Florida soon.

"I don't know, mother." Courtney groaned from her spot on the couch. "I've been so stressed with getting the house sold, PJ's acting out at school, and Phil and I aren't speaking again. I just didn't think about it."

She was really wishing her parents had called to tell her they were coming from Orlando to visit instead of popping in at random.

She wouldn't have answered the door.

They'd only visited to spend time with their grandson and he wasn't there. He'd gone with The Bellas, John, and Bryan to Disney World.

Although the mischievous little boy certainly didn't deserve the trip after his recent pattern of disobedience towards his teachers, she was thankful and welcoming of the break. She hadn't felt very well the last few days. She suspected her weak stomach and ceaseless exhaustion were from all the stress she'd been under since returning from Chicago almost four weeks ago.

All she'd planned to do on this lazy Saturday was lay under her Blackhawks blanket on the couch.

Then…the doorbell rang.

"Why are you moving back to Chicago anyway?" Her father spoke from his spot next to her mother on the loveseat. "I don't understand why you would want to be near or even speak to that cheating bastard."

She wasn't surprised by her father's crass comments about her ex. Any father would be upset with a man who broke his daughter's heart. Plus, Malcolm hadn't cared for Phil since the day they met. The reason was beyond Courtney. Although there was no love lost between the two men, Phil had always tried to be patient and friendly in lieu of Malcolm's snide remarks and indifference.

That all had come to head at her parent's Fourth of July cookout two years ago. Courtney was in the kitchen with her mother and PJ when she heard the commotion coming from her parent's backyard. Her cousins told her that Phil had offered to help Malcolm with the food and Malcolm's response had been to tell his daughter's boyfriend that he didn't want Phil's '_grungy tattooed hands'_ anywhere near his grill or his daughter.

She'd come out just in time to hear her boyfriend tell the older gentleman where to stick his grill and witness him kick the aforementioned grill over. He then stormed past her, grabbing PJ, and instructing her to get her ass in the car or find a way back to Chicago.

Phil had taken enough of her father's attitude towards him. The two men hadn't spoken to one another since. Every trip to see her parents after the Fourth of July disaster were without Phil.

"I wanted to avoid a drawn out court battle, dad." She wasn't in the mood to answer any questions. She wanted to die on her couch in peace. "Phil told the judge that he would drop the petition and let me have full physical custody of PJ if I moved back to Chicago so he could visit PJ more easily."

Her father snorted. "Of course." He shook his head. "Just like that jerk to make you and PJ uproot your lives to make his life easier."

Her mother's brow furrowed. "Are you okay, sweetheart? You look a little pale.."

"I'm fine, mother." She answered. "I haven't felt well the last few days. I think it is just the stress of everything. I was hoping a day of rest today would help me kick it." She hoped her parents would take the hint.

No such luck.

"Have you had any luck with the house? I can imagine the thought of being stuck under the mortgage for this house and having to find a place in Chicago is unsettling." Her mother's comment annoyed her.

Of course the prospect of such a situation was _unsettling._ She'd saved plenty of money from her wrestling days plus the judge had ordered Phil to send her a decent amount of money every month for their son but she could not afford two mortgages or a mortgage and rent for another place.

Luckily, she'd received a more than generous offer from an anonymous buyer through her real estate agent. She'd called the agent a few days ago to let him know she accepted the offer…of course. She was just waiting for the agent to call her back and let her know if they buyer was still interested and hopefully ready to complete the sale.

"So, how are things with you and Roman?" Her father's tone changed. Unlike Phil, he loved Roman and made no secret of it. His relationship with the Samoan was much more different from his relationship with the father of his grandson. He loved the man almost as much as he loved Randy before he learned of all the things Randy had done to Courtney. He conversed with Roman on the phone almost nightly about everything from Courtney to sports. He'd already invited her boyfriend to Thanksgiving…which he readily accepted.

"They're good."

"You're lying." Malcolm quickly answered. "He called me last night to ask me for my input about why you might be growing distant towards him."

Her father was right. She was lying. Although things weren't bad with Roman, they weren't great. He was still the same sweet and doting boyfriend he'd always been but she also noticed she was pulling away from him. A lot of it was because of the stress of the house and having to move. Most of it was because he still didn't know about her night with Phil in Chicago.

The guilt was still eating at her. Of course she was pulling away. How was she supposed to look him in the eye? She couldn't face him. She could barely face herself in the mirror. Part of her felt bad for Phil. She couldn't imagine how he'd lived with this for 6 months. She assumed this had a big part of her sudden illness as well.

"He also has a few reservations about you moving back to Chicago." Her father continued. "He agrees with me that you shouldn't have to move. If Phil wants to have an active part in PJ's life. It is not your responsibility to make it convenient for him to see his child. He needs to make the effort."

Her stomach was beginning to knot again. She thought she was going to be able to keep down the peanut butter sandwich she'd eaten for breakfast but she was slowly beginning to think she was wrong.

"Mom. Dad." She sat up on the couch, deciding she was done with the conversation. The questions. The visit. "As much as I love you guys…I would rather you le-"

She was cut off by her phone ringing on the table.

Courtney looked down to see her listing agent's number flashing on the screen.

She quickly answered, praying it was the good news that she so needed. "Hello."

The agent wasted no time. "Your house has sold, Ms. Scott." He informed her excitedly. "Your anonymous buyer's agent got back to me this afternoon. They still want to buy and at the same offer. I've already faxed over all the paperwork for them to sign. We just need to make a good time for us to get together to tie up our end of the sale."

"That is great." It felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders. Though she still felt terribly ill, she could breathe easier without the looming mortgage of her house suffocating her. "Are you able to tell me who it is?"

She was curious. The person had never made an appointment to even see the house and was offering more than it was worth. Buying a house sight unseen was pure madness. She wanted to know who would take such a financial risk. She wasn't complaining, though. She was glad to be rid of it.

"I am sorry." The agent replied. "I don't have that information. I've only dealt with his agent The person has requested to remain anonymous until the sale is complete. All I know is that it is a man, a single father, based out of Chicago willing to spend a ridiculous amount of money on a house that, from my understanding, he doesn't even plan to live in full-time."

_It couldn't be._

_How could he know?_

_Why?_

"Okay, Mr. Shaw." She spoke slowly, trying to register the agent's words. "Just let me know when you are ready for me to come sign the papers.".

Her mother must have noticed the stunned look on her daughter's face as she stared at the cell phone in her hand after disconnecting the call.

"What's wrong, Court? Did the house sell?"

Courtney nodded slowly. "Yes." A disbelieving smile traced her lips as she looked up at her parents. "I think…"

She struggled with the words. It was too crazy. There was no way.

It all made sense though.

The ridiculous offer almost twice her asking price. The buyer's request for anonymity. The fact that the buyer hadn't even toured the home.

"Mom, I think Phil just bought my house."

* * *

**oooh?**

**Hope you enjoyed!**

**A/N: Guys. The next update will not be until next Tuesday, probably. As you all know, Payback is coming to Chicago again this year and I will be in attendance. My vacation from work also starts tomorrow. Therefore, I will be spending the weekend hanging out with friends and getting pumped for Sunday.**

**Much love.**


	19. Chapter 19

"Punk, man, what are _you_ going to do with another house?" Kofi was shaking his head as he and Phil walked into the men's locker room backstage at Bridgestone Arena.

Both men were still breathless from their morning workout.

"I don't really know, Kofi." Phil admitted, using the hem of his shirt to wipe the sweat from his brow. "Sell it. Rent it. Hell, PJ was telling me how much he liked his new house when I called him the other day. I might keep it."

Kofi eyed his friend, still disbelieving of the news Phil had presented him during their run through downtown Nashville. "Man, when do you ever go to Florida? The whole reason she had to sell the house was to bring PJ back to Illinois, remember?" Kofi took a quick swig from his water bottle and plopped down on the nearby bench. "You requested that because you NEVER go to Florida."

Phil shrugged. "Well, maybe I will have more incentive to now that I won't have to stay at some ridiculously over-priced hotel or on the bus when I am there."

"No, you can just stay at your ridiculously over-priced house."

Kofi was right. His offer had been ridiculous. He'd never seen the house but the real estate agent handling his end of the sale had walked through it and told him it was barely worth half of the amount he was offering. He didn't care. That was the point. He wanted to help her. As soon as he'd overheard Bryan talking to Brie about the stress Courtney was under from having to sell her house and move back to Chicago, because of him, he knew what he had to do.

"My pockets aren't hurting from buying that house, Kofi." Phil followed his best friends cue and took a swig from his own water bottle and sat down next to him. "I heard the things Bryan was saying to Brie. She hadn't received any other offers. That house wasn't going anywhere. It was on the market for two years before she bought it. I owe her."

He felt a familiar ping his core with the last words that left his mouth. It was the remorse and guilt he felt for the way he'd done Courtney in Chicago. The things he'd said to her had weighed heavily on his mind since she stormed out the door. She'd been wrong about him only sleeping with her to make her feel guilty for cheating on Roman. That had been the farthest thing from his mind at that point. All he was thinking about that night was how much he missed her. He missed her every time he pulled in a breath of air. He missed her with a heart that was so cold by itself but filled with warmth sitting there next to her. All he'd wanted was her and gave no thought to the consequences or the next morning.

Phil had hoped their night together was the start of their journey back to one another even though the rational side of him knew, deep down, that it wasn't. Courtney was too proud, just like that asshole, Malcolm. She would never take him back. All the things he'd said to her had resonated from his broken heart. She wasn't despicable. She didn't cheat on the father of her child behind his back for six months with a young piece of ass while she was on the road. She didn't push their son on the swing at the park with one hand while she was texting that same piece of ass with the other. She didn't ignore calls and texts from home because she was too busy in another room with someone else.

No, that was him.

"I get that you feel like a jerk for cheating on her and you have PJ together but how do you figure that amounts to you forking over six figures for her house?" Kofi's voice brought him back from terrible and pained memories swirling around his brain. "That's crazy."

He hadn't told Kofi about his night with Courtney in Chicago.

"Well, love makes you do crazy things, dude." Phil said with an affected sighed. "I never loved anything or anyone more than myself and wrestling until those two were put in my life. No amount of money can replace them or make up for the things I've put them through. I would do anything for both of them."

He leaned forward on the bench, supporting the weight of his upper body with his elbows on his knees. He could feel the sadness beginning to move within him as the faces of two people he loved with all of him began to flash through his mind. Although he tried and was often successful at keeping the emotion at bay with distractions like work, music, and the few friends he had on the road….he couldn't ignore it as he sat in the quiet of the empty room with his best friend. The grief was starting to swirl around in the empty pit of him….the void left by the woman he loved and their son.

"What did she have to say about it?"

"She doesn't know it's me." Phil answered. "I told my agent that I wanted to remain anonymous until everything is finalized. If she knew it was me, she'd never go through with it. She's too proud. I just want her out from underneath the burden of it." He fixed his pained gaze on the black and white Nike Trainers on his feet. He didn't want Kofi to see the emotion brimming in his eyes. "Besides…" A shallow breath shook his chest. "We haven't talked since court. She won't even answer the phone when I call P. She just hands the phone to him."

"I'm sorry, man." He felt his friend's hand on his shoulder. "You and Courtney were made for each other. I honestly believe that you two will work everything out, eventually. She just needs time and to see that you are truly remorseful for your actions." A faint chuckle escaped Kofi. "I have to say that buying her house for twice the price is definitely a way to get back in her good graces."

"I wouldn't count on getting back in her good graces any time soon."

All of his grief and sadness quickly gave way to annoyance at the voice coming from the door way.

"What the fuck do you want, Reigns?" He glared up at the stone-faced man leaned against the door frame.

The two men had avoided one another since their run-in on the streets of Chicago. As expected, Vince had called Phil the very next day to warn him not to allow his personal alive get in the way of business. They wouldn't reprimand either of them for what happened on their off-time but any squabbles in the locker room or on WWE's time would not be tolerated.

This was fine with Phil. That's why they had the squared circle. Which, coincidentally, he would be stepping into tonight with Bryan and the Usos to face The Shield and The Wyatt Family. He was certain he would get a few bumps in on The Samoan. Hell, he planned on it.

"Try to keep a lid on that temper, Punk." Roman spoke calmly. "I am not here to start trouble."

"So what the fuck do you want? Did you come to lay claim to Kofi too?" Phil mocked the Samoan. "My girlfriend and my son aren't enough? Did you want my best friend as well?"

Roman laughed, scornfully. "I didn't take or lay claim to anything of yours, Punk." He smirked. "You gave up your family when you chose to sleep with another woman behind Courtney's back." He left his spot in the door way, strolling to the center of the room. "Hell.." A smile stretched across his face as he crossed his arms across his chest. "I would say that you all but handed them to me."

At Roman's smug words, Phil felt a great wave of irritation and anger moving outwards from a place deep within him. He considered clocking the man in the face again in spite of Vince's warning.

Kofi must have picked up on Phil's thoughts because his arm quickly went across Phil's chest. "I thought you said that you didn't come to start trouble?"

"No, Kofi, I didn't." Roman kept his eyes locked with Phil's, both of them intense. "I just came to let Phil know that Courtney and PJ will be coming on the road with me next week."

"You got a point, Reigns?" Phil bit.

"I can't tell you to stay away from PJ, Punk. He is your son and you have every right to him." Roman replied. "I just came here to ask you to stay away from Courtney. She hasn't been feeling well. She is stressed and the last thing she needs is to put up with any bullshit from you."

He couldn't hold it in. The angry darkness exploded within him. "Fuck you, Reigns!" He shoved Kofi's arm away, coming up from the bench and quickly closing the distance between the two men until they were nose to nose in a scene reminiscent of their meeting in Chicago. "Who the fuck do you think you are to tell me that I need to stay away from her, the mother of my son?!" He jabbed a sharp finger into the man's chest.

"Enough. Enough." Kofi wasted little time positioning himself between the two men. "You both know what will happen if you get into in the middle of the locker room."

He could care less about any reprimands or punishments he might receive for wailing on the man right there. What was the worst they would do? Suspend him? Fire him? He was sick of traveling and busting his ass in the ring for a company that didn't appreciate true talent anymore. He would love nothing more than to sit at home on his couch, watch hockey, and take his son to baseball games when he wanted.

He wanted to knock the smug look off of Roman's face. He felt it building in the fists clenched at his side. The only thing stopping him was Courtney.

He did wanted to get back in her good graces. He wanted to be able to talk to the mother of his son. Even if they would never be together again, he needed her in his life in some capacity. As much as it would pain him…..he would settle with being good friends.

That wasn't likely to happen if he pummeled her boyfriend every time they crossed paths.

"Fuck this." Phil stood down, grabbing his bag from the bench. "And fuck you, Reigns."

He shoved past both men, leaving them behind him in the locker room.

The dark wave of anger and frustration was still building within him as he stormed down the hallway. It was evident to all he passed. Everyone had seen Punk in these moods before and none dared to utter so much as a 'hello'.

He kept his eyes ahead of him, paying no mind to anything or anyone.

How could he?

Phil couldn't get over the audacity of Roman telling him to stay away from Courtney. He couldn't wait to step into the ring with the asshole that night.

The rage. The irritation. The frustration. None of it would allow him to acknowledge the small excitement he had at the prospect of getting to see his son the next week…

…or the envy he also felt at the thought of having to watch Courtney with Roman.

* * *

She couldn't believe it. The truth was staring her blatantly in the face from its spot on the counter of John's master bathroom…but she couldn't believe it.

"Court." Nikki jiggled the handle of the bathroom door. "Are you done? What's it say? Let me in."

She ignored her best friend, remaining paralyzed as she continued to stare down at the three pregnancy tests on the counter.

Positive.

All three of them.

She thought her illness had been from stress until Nikki brought PJ home from Disney World the day before. She'd asked if Courtney had a tampon she could have until she got home. It was then that Courtney realized she didn't. She hadn't bought any since her last period almost a month and a half ago.

She was late. Two weeks and she had been too stressed to pay attention.

"Courtney Scott! Let me in the damn bathroom!" Nikki slammed her hand against the door.

This was enough to pull Courtney from her stunned state. Nikki came sweeping into the bathroom as soon as Courtney turned the lock.

Her eyes immediately went to Courtney's pale face and dropped jaw. "Court..are you?"

"Look…" Courtney could barely speak, consumed with disbelief and shock. "Look.." She pointed at the tests on the counter.

Nikki walked over to the counter and studied all three of the early response tests on the counter. "Oh my god." Her own jaw dropped as she turned her focus back to Courtney. "You're pregnant..again!" She squealed. "This is so great! I am going to be a godmother, again! PJ is going to be a big brother!" Nikki was in front of Courtney, shaking her friend's shoulders, unable to contain her elation. "This is so exciting. We have to call Roman!"

Courtney shook her head. "No." She'd been doing the math since she'd realized she missed her period. "Roman is definitely not the person we need to call about this…."

"What do you mean, sis?" Nikki tilted her head, eyebrow raised. "Don't tell me…."

Nikki was the only person she'd told about her night in Chicago with Phil. Nikki hated Phil so, of course, she'd been disgusted and disappointed in her friend. She didn't understand how Courtney could still be stuck on a man like Phillip Brooks when she had placed a specimen like Roman Reigns right in front of her. Never the less, Nikki still loved her and agreed to keep her secret.

It was clear from the widening of Nikki's eyes that the truth had hit her too…just like it hit Courtney just a few minutes before.

Courtney nodded. "That's right, Nicole." She winced.

"I'm having Phillip's baby….again."

* * *

**Okay. I lied. **

**THIS will be the last update until Tuesday. I just didn't feel right leaving you guys with such an...uneventful chapter. Therefore, I spent the morning getting this done for you all.**

**Much love! See ya next week. Enjoy!**


	20. Chapter 20

"Phillip Jack! I am not going to ask you to stop running again!" Courtney called after her son as she chased him through the hallways of Nassau Coliseum where RAW was being held that evening.

The last thing she wanted to do was run after the unruly child. Between pregnancy, packing up her house, and dealing with PJ's recent streak of bad behavior…she was completely exhausted. Even when she had the opportunity to do so, she got very little sleep. Her racing thoughts would never slow down long enough for her mind to rest.

It'd only been a week since she'd discovered that her midnight tryst with Phil had resulted in the conception of their second child. It was all she could think about. When she initially told Nikki about cheating on Roman, Nikki told her that there was no reason to tell Roman and break his heart. It would only bring unnecessary drama to an already tense situation. Despite the guilt eating at her since the morning after, she'd listened to Nikki and kept the secret hidden from Roman and everyone else.

Then those two little pink lines popped up on that white stick. There was no hiding from that. A pregnancy is one of those things that doesn't hide well. To do so would be kind of like trying to hide an elephant in the middle of a living room.

It can't be done.

Courtney knew she would have to tell Roman and Phil the truth, sooner than later. Which is why she and PJ had were scouring the halls for the father of her son and unborn child. She figured he deserved to know before anyone else.

"No!" PJ defied her, increasing his speed down the empty hall. "I want to find Daddy!"

Her stomach was in knots. The morning sickness was much worse this time around than it had been with PJ. It was pretty bad then but she was able to keep most light food down with him. Now, she couldn't drink a glass of water without running the risk of throwing it up. She'd already lost a few pounds off her already thin frame thanks to all the hours she spent hunched over the toilet or garbage can.

"PJ, please." She groaned. "You know Momma doesn't feel good." Her hands went to her churning stomach.

The little boy didn't care. He'd already rounded the corner without any thoughts or concern toward his ill mother.

They'd only arrived in New York from Florida a few hours ago but she was already wishing that she hadn't agreed to join Roman on the road during PJ's Thanksgiving break from school. At least she could send him to his room when he was misbehaving at home.

"Phillip Jack Brooks, Jr!" She was at the end of her rope with the boy and his defiant behavior. "If you DO NOT start listening to me, we will pack up, go back to Florida, and you won't get to see Daddy at all." Courtney threatened the little boy as she rounded the corner after him.

The threat came too late.

"Are you giving Momma a hard time, P?" She came around the corner to find Phil standing there with PJ in his arms.

She stopped in her tracks at the sight of him. He must have just arrived at the arena. His suitcase was sitting behind him and he was still dressed in his usual attire, jeans and the black Cro-Mags shirt she'd gotten him for Christmas two years before. It was a cold day in Uniondale, New York so she wasn't surprised that he was also wearing a black leather jacket over his old red zipper hoodie. His usually disheveled brown hair concealed by a familiar blue and white Cubs ball cap.

Despite the circumstances under which she was looking for him, she instantly felt the relief wash over her at the sight of him. If anyone could make the willful child behave, it was him.

"He's been giving everyone a hard time lately."

"Is that true, PJ?" Phil asked the boy, giving his son a stern look. "Have you been bad?"

PJ averted his father's gaze. "I'm sorry, Daddy." PJ mumbled, hanging his head.

"Don't apologize to me, PJ." Phil chided his son. "Apologize to your mother. When she tells you to do something, I expect you to do it." He put his finger under PJ's chin, nudging the boy's head up, forcing him to look his father in the eyes. "Do you understand me, son?"

"Yes, Daddy." PJ nodded softly and then turned his sad eyes to his mother. "I'm sorry for being bad, Momma." PJ whispered.

Courtney just nodded at her son, silently accepting his apology. She was sure he would just be back to the same behavior as soon as they were away from Phil but she was too tired to think about that at the moment.

She needed to focus the small amount of energy she possessed on the task at hand.

"Good." A smile transformed Phil's stern face. "Dad missed you, kid." He tousled his son's hair.

PJ's mouth stretched into a wide, toothy grin. "I missed you too, Daddy."

It was surprising to her, how ready she was to tell him. She'd been preparing herself for this moment all week and imagined that she would be a nail-biting mess when it came time to tell him he was going to be a father again.

She wasn't.

The only discomfort in her stomach didn't come from nervous jitters. She couldn't feel her heart thumping in her chest. She didn't feel any of the anxiety she had experienced when she had to tell him she was pregnant with their son.

She was ready to tell him. Ready to get it out in the open. She was done with secrets and lies. All they did was cause unnecessary stress, tear families apart, and make life unbearably difficult. She wasn't sure how he'd react.

He would want to be a part of the child's life, she knew she could bet on that. He was so devoted to their son, she knew it would be the same for their new son or daughter. She would let him.

Her only worry was that he would want to get back together, work things out for the sake of their children. She wasn't interested in that at all. As much as she loved the father of her children, the trust was gone. In her eyes their relationship was irreparable. She wouldn't bring her children up in a broken home.

She hoped he would just be content to raise their children together, as friends. Something they'd agreed on for PJ before she made the mistake of going to that house instead of listening to Roman. They hadn't spoken since but she hoped he would still be willing to put his feelings, her feelings, and the drama aside so they could do what was best for their children.

She wouldn't know until she told him.

"I was actually looking for you." Courtney spoke up. "We need to talk."

The smile on his face disappeared as he turned his attention from their son to her. "You're right." He replied. "We have a lot to talk about."

Courtney glanced around the empty halls. They were alone for now but you never knew who was lurking the halls of any arena. The last thing she wanted was someone to creep around the corner and overhear the news before she had the chance to break it to Roman. "Would it be okay if we didn't talk here?" She asked, crossing her arms over her abdomen, self-conscious of their child growing within her.

"Sure." Phil shrugged. "Let's go in here." He nodded towards a door across the hall. _CM PUNK_ was written in black marker on the sheet of white paper taped to the door.

* * *

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Phil asked, closing the door to the locker room behind him.

PJ was preoccupied in the corner with two action figures Courtney had pulled from the little boy's DC Comics backpack she always carried, full of his necessities, when they were on the road.

"Actually, why don't you tell me what you think we need to talk about?" She stood in the middle of the room, arms still crossed.

She imagined he wanted to talk about what happened in Chicago.

"I bought your house, Court." He said. "I didn't want you to know until it was done, but it was me."

"Oh." It had completely slipped her mind. Dealing with the situation of her pregnancy and her mischievous little boy…she'd completely forgotten about her suspicions that Phil was the mystery person who'd purchased her house. "Well…" She was beginning to feel light-headed. "I kind of assumed it was you." She made her way over to the bench and sat down, trying to get a grip on the spinning room.

"I hope you aren't pissed at me." He sat down next to her. "I just wanted to help."

She could offer only a thin smile. "I know Phil but you really shouldn't have. If I had known it was you-"

"You never would have gone through with it." He finished her sentence. "I know."

"Regardless, I appreciate the gesture." It had thawed her towards him, having the burden of selling her home removed. "I am sorry I haven't talked to you since Chicago. I've just been-"

"You're confused about your feelings. You still love me but you also care about Roman, I know." The man was on a roll. Nobody knew her so well. It was like he could read her mind. "I owe you an apology." He continued. "What happened between us in Chicago, well, it was my fault. I took advantage of the feelings you still have for me and then I said terrible things to you when I didn't get my way." His eyes, his words were filled with remorse.

"No, Phillip." She took his hand in her own. "We are both at fault for what happened." She squeezed. "I was as willing as you were.…"

"Maybe so.." He sighed and focused his eyes on her. It was like drowning, drowning in seas of green. There was nothing in the world except for those eyes. "Still, I should have never told you that were a bad person or that you were like me."

He reached out with his free hand and caressed her face. With a serious expression, he traced the edge of her jaw with his thumb. "You aren't." He said softly. "Your only fault is falling in love with a piece of shit like me."

His tender tone turned her heart over. For the first time since she'd pieced it back together, she felt a small tug at one of the strings. But, she knew that no matter how it felt to be near him, she had to keep her swollen heart in check.

"You're so much better than me, Courtney." His green eyes were still piercing into her own. "I lied to you and slept with Paige for six months behind your back. You possessed the strength that I did not. You walked away from me so you could be true to Roman."

"Phillip.." She finally spoke. "About that night…I need to tell you something."

Suddenly, Phil's face twisted into a look of concern. "Are you okay, Court?" He brushed a stray strand of her dark hair behind her ear. "You're looking a bit pale and drawn."

She was surprised it had taken him this long to notice her sickly appearance. Everyone she'd run into had commented on her weight loss, pale skin, and lifeless eyes. Pregnancy was taking its toll on her this time around. The only one who knew the truth and wasn't so concerned was Nikki.

"I'm fine, Phil." She informed him. "That is actually what I wanted to-"

"You are not fine, Courtney." He placed the back of his hand against her forehead, checking for a fever. "You look like shit."

She brushed his hands away from her face. "I'm not sick, Phillip. That is what I am trying to tell you. I am pre-"

"Is it the stress?" He continued to fuss over her. "Is it the move? PJ? Tell me what it is and I will fix it. I don't want you worrying yourself to death, Courtney."

"Phillip, I am not worrying myself to death. I am pre-" She allowed her voice to trail off rather than finish the sentence.

She wasn't so sure it was a good idea to tell him now. They were finally at a good place, it seemed. Just by the way he was fussing over her, the words he'd said to her, the way he touched her face….she knew he would not be okay with just being friends if she told him about the baby. He would beg her to come home, again.

She was too tired for that fight and she was too content with the current state of peace between them.

Maybe now wasn't the time to tell him. It wouldn't hurt if she put it off for a few more days.

"You're what?" He interrupted her inner dialogue. "You're pre-"

"Pretty stressed." She finished, a soft smile tracing her lips. "I am pretty stressed from the move and PJ."

It wasn't a lie. Only half the truth. She could deal with that.

"Well, don't stress over the move, Court. Take as long as you need." He reassured her. "I won't bitch to the judge if you aren't moved to Chicago by the first of December like we agreed." Phil ran a soft hand up and down the length of her arm. "Your health is more important to me. PJ needs you to be healthy. Speaking of which, I can take him for a few hours so you can go get some rest."

She couldn't help but feel a small pang of guilt for not telling him the truth, especially with how great he was being towards her. It did ease her mind a great deal to know that he wouldn't push it if she wasn't completely moved in time and offering her a few hours of peace for much-needed rest and relaxation.

Still, she pushed her secret to the back of her mind. It would have to wait. She didn't want to ruin this.

"Thank you, Phil." She lay her head on his shoulder. "I appreciate everything that you are trying to do."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, resting his head against her own. "Don't thank me, Court." He pulled held her close to him. "Together or not, it will always be my job to take care of you. You need to focus on being a good mother to our son."

He pressed his lips against her forehead. "Let me handle all the rest."

* * *

"Hey, princess."

She'd just settled into John's bed in the back of his bus when she felt Roman's weight on the bed next to her.

"Oh, hey." She rolled over on the pillow to face him. "I thought you and Seth were going to the gym."

Roman smiled down at her. "We did but I missed my girl."

"I missed you too." She returned his smile.

"John told me you were here. He said you were feeling bad again."

She nodded.

He leaned down and kissed her forehead just as Phil had done earlier. It didn't feel the same, though. It didn't leave the same butterflies in her stomach. "I'm sorry, princess." He situated himself on the bed next to her, pulling her into his arms. "Is there anything I can do?"

"No." She answered, resting her head on his chest. "This is enough."

Roman's embrace was comforting but it wasn't Phil's. As much as she cared for Roman, as much as she was attracted to him, he still came up short when compared to Phil. She hated herself for thinking that but she couldn't lie to herself as well as she did to him. When he held her or kissed her, memories of Phillip came to the front of her mind and she couldn't push them away. She wasn't being fair to Roman, she knew that. But, she figured, with time she could learn to love him as she did Phil…

She didn't believe that for a moment, even in her own head.

"Have you thought about going to see a doctor, sweetheart?" Roman ran his hand down her arm softly. "I am beginning to think that this is more than stress and I am starting to worry about you, Courtney."

The familiar pangs of guilt began to stab at her again, the same as they did every time she was around her boyfriend. Roman was so good to her and she really didn't deserve it. He deserved someone that could be with him without thinking about how much she would rather be with someone else. Someone who could love him as much as he was trying to love her.

Someone who hadn't cheated on him and found herself pregnant with another man's child.

"Roman, I'm pregnant." Pressed by the mounting guilt, the words finally escaped her lips.

She could feel his body tense against her, taken aback by her news. "Oh, wow, Court." He took in a deep breath. "That's great.."

She shook her head. "No, Ro."

Courtney pulled away from him, sitting up on the bed. She stared off into the space of the room, unwilling to be met by the sadness in his gray eyes. "It's Phil's, Roman. That night I went to check on PJ….I slept with Phil and now I'm pregnant."

The room was devastatingly silent as Roman processed the horrible truth she had just shared with him. She pulled her knees up into her chest, bracing herself for what would come next. She wasn't sure what Roman's response would be.

Would he yell at her? Storm away? Berate her? She didn't know.

"That actually explains a lot." Roman's soft voice came from behind her. "The way you acted when you came back the next morning. The distance you've put between us. Here I thought that I was doing something wrong…"

She immediately turned to him. "No, Roman." She met his gaze and she swore she could see his heart breaking behind her those steely gray eyes. "You have been nothing but wonderful to me and PJ."

"Have you told Punk?" He asked.

She shook her head. "I tried to tell him earlier but the timing wasn't right."

"Do you plan on telling him?"

"Honestly…..I don't know." She replied, turning from him once more.

She felt a warm hand at the back of her neck. "It's your call." He said softly. "But, whatever you decide, I will help you."

Courtney's breath caught in her chest at his words. This certainly wasn't the reaction she was expecting. "You mean…" She raised her eyebrow. "You aren't angry with me? I cheated on you, Roman."

"I won't lie." He sighed. "I am hurt but I also understand. I know you still love Punk and I know how good he is at manipulating people's feelings towards him."

"So, what are you going to do?"

He took her hand and gently pulled her back into his arms. "I'm going to be there for you, if you will have me. I know that I am not Punk but I care a lot about you, Court. I care a lot about PJ and I am ready to care for this baby too because it is a part of you."

All she could do was stare up into his eyes, wondering what she did to ever deserve someone as wonderful, understanding, and caring as Roman.

"Why?" She whispered. "Why would you do that for me?"

Roman brought his hand to her cheek, softly stroking the side of her face. "Because, princess.." A small smile teased his lips. "I've fallen for you and you own me completely."

* * *

**A/N: Sorry. I know it is late. I thought that I would be fully recovered from standing outside of Allstate Arena for 6 hours and going to Payback by Tuesday but I was not. I got sunburned and lost my voice from all my screaming and chanting. lol. BUUUUUT...I got to meet Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella which was fricking EPIC. Never-the-less, here it is.**

**Hope you enjoyed!**

**Roman is so sweet. What do you think? Do you think Court will tell Punk soon?**


	21. Chapter 21

She wasn't the woman he'd met 4 ½ years ago. Back then, when she was still being abused by Randy, she was much different.

Quiet. Depressed. Socially isolated. Anxious. Submissive.

Broken.

Anyone would be if their every decision ran the risk of having their face beaten in or being choked to the brink of consciousness.

Even after the truth came out and they started dating…she was still that same nervous mess of a woman.

They would go entire days where she wouldn't utter a single word to him. Worried that she was angry with him, he would avoid her while he wracked his mind trying to figure out what he could have possibly done to upset her. Then, he would remember that she was waiting on him to speak to her first because she was used to catching a busted a lip when she spoke out of turn.

She would often spend nights at his house when they were in town, she said she felt safer there, but she would creep around on egg shells the entire time. She wouldn't touch anything. She wouldn't ask for anything. If he didn't offer her food, she wouldn't eat. She would just curl up on his couch under a blanket, only moving to go to the bathroom or bed at night.

He understood.

For the last two years of her life, she wasn't allowed to be human. She wasn't allowed to make decisions. She wasn't allowed to feel anything. She had to learn how to act like a human being again. She had to retrain her brain.

Phil knew that loving a battered woman would take a lot of patience and understanding.

He could still remember the first time he'd left her alone at his house so he could go to a Cubs game with a few of the guys. She'd spilled coffee on the couch and he'd come home to find her kneeling next to couch, vigorously scrubbing at the stain with a wet dishcloth in her hand and tears in her eyes….so afraid of what would happen when he found out.

Of course, he wasn't upset. He would never raise a hand to her or hurt her, especially over something as trivial as a stain on a couch, but it was what she was used to. There had been no room for mistakes or accidents in her life with Randy.

With a lot of love, time, and help from friends she'd eventually become the strong, independent, stubborn, hot-tempered, assertive woman that he loved with all the heart she'd taken with her when she left.

One thing hadn't changed about her, though. One thing remained the same.

She was and would always be a terrible liar.

She'd lied to him in the locker room. He didn't press the issue like he normally would when he could see that she was being dishonest with him because he could see in her dull eyes how tired she was. There was something going on with her. Something was wrong…..

…and it was more than stress.

Which was why he found himself sitting in John Cena's locker room with the World Heavyweight Champion and Daniel Bryan.

He didn't want to bother Courtney in her current state but there was nothing stopping him from pestering the beaus of her two best friends.

"I honestly do not know anything, Phil." John shrugged from his seat on the bench. "She hasn't said anything to me and neither has Nicole. If there is anything going on then I know just as much about it as you."

"What about you?" Phil turned to the bearded man sitting in the floor with PJ.

Bryan didn't look up from the matchbox cars he was pushing around with the little boy. "I don't know." He answered. "I don't see Court much and Brie hasn't said anything to me."

"Phil, I think you should just take it at face value." John said. "She has been really stressed."

"Have you seen her, John? She looks fucking awful."

John nodded. "Yes, I've seen her." He replied. "Stress has that effect on people. I mean, have you taken a look in the mirror lately?"

Cena wasn't the first to comment on Phil's own sickly appearance. His sisters brought it up every time they seen him. Friends. Family. Co-workers.

Everyone had the same worried eyes and same irritating questions.

"_Are you sick?" "Are you eating?" "Have you been sleeping?" _

In his case, it was the stress. Life on the road with very little time off wasn't good for anyone. On top of that, he had to cope with the loss of his family. It was easy to forget about eating when you're too busy thinking about your life and the mess you've made of it. It was even harder to sleep with those same thoughts running through your brain.

Phil brought his hand to face, rubbing his chin as he contemplated the situation. John had made a good point. It was very possible that she was dealing with the effects of stress the same as him.

It just didn't sit right in the pit of his stomach. Her words played back in his head.

"_I have something to tell you about that night."_

"I don't know, John." Phil shook his head. "She said she had something to tell me? Why would she just pull me to the side to tell me that she is stressed?"

"It's beyond me, Phil." John sighed. "Court is like my little sister. I am sure she would tell me if something was going on and I promise that you would be the first to know if I thought she or PJ were at risk."

Courtney did tell John everything. That was why he'd come to him. Courtney kept nothing from the man she looked to as her "big brother" and Phil could trust John to tell him if John felt like it was important that he know.

John had been the one to call and tell him that he was having a son. John was also the one to keep him up to date with PJ when his son was being kept from him.

"This is a heavy belt, Uncle John."

Phil and John's exchange was interrupted by his son struggling to lift John's World Heavyweight Title from its spot on the bench next to the champion.

"It's not a belt, P, it is a championship title."

PJ looked up at his father, little brows furrowed in confusion. He was three. It looked like a belt to him. How was he supposed to know the significance of the item in front of him? He'd only corrected his son out of habit. He'd often corrected people during his own reign as WWE Champion. These titles were the most prestigious and sought after titles in the wrestling business and he couldn't stand to have them compared to an item that's only purpose was the keep someone's pants up on their ass.

"What's a title, Daddy?" PJ was running his little fingers over the gold.

John lifted the small child in his lap and held the title up for the child. "It's just something they give wrestlers like your dad, Uncle Bryan, and myself when we do a good job."

"Daddy, you do a good job." PJ looked up at Phil. "Where's your title?"

It was something he loved about his son. PJ was always asking questions. He'd often seen parents getting irritated when their children were bombarding them with endless questions. Not Phil. He could sit for hours and answer questions for PJ. It was the sign of an active mind, a healthy brain, and he would do all that he could to feed the boy's hunger to know all that he could.

"Dad used to have one, PJ, and it was way cooler than Uncle John's." He teased. "You don't remember, P?" PJ had only been a year old when he'd won the title but he'd held it until just before the kid's third birthday. Then again, he hadn't been home much during his title reign and it wasn't the focus of conversations when he was at home.

PJ shook his head.

"That's right, PJ." Bryan nudged Phil's shoulder. "Your dad was the longest reigning WWE Champion in the last twenty-five years."

PJ's face began to beam with pride. "Cool."

The locker room was silent for a moment as the three man watched the boy continuing to admire the title.

It was the first time he'd felt any sign of life fluttering within him since being with Courtney in Chicago. Watching his son's eyes shining with innocence and curiosity filled him with warmth. The boy was his world, his life. To hell with a 434 day title reign, PJ was best thing he had ever done in his life and his greatest pride.

"Hey, Daddy." PJ's tiny voice filled the quiet of the room. "I know why Momma feels bad."

"Oh yeah?" Phil crossed his arms. "What's that?" He smiled, humoring his son.

PJ looked from John to Bryan and finally his eyes rested on his dad.

"Aunt Nikki said she has a baby in her belly."

* * *

**From the mouths of babes...**


	22. Chapter 22

"Oh gosh, Nicole, I am so sorry." Courtney was still rubbing the sleep from her eyes when she approached Nikki and Brie backstage.

The twins were busy watching Phil and Bryan's match against the Wyatt's on the monitor. PJ was in his godmother's arms. Courtney could tell from his drooping eyes and his head resting on Nikki's shoulder that her little boy was exhausted.

"How long have you had him?" She extended her arms.

"Not long at all." Nikki answered, gently placing the tired boy in his mother's arms. "Bryan brought him to me and Brie just before the match."

Courtney couldn't believe how long she'd slept. She'd fallen asleep in Roman's arms soon after her confession. It was amazing what telling the truth can do for one's mind. She hadn't slept so soundly in weeks. She hadn't stirred when Roman slipped away, she didn't even realize he was gone when she woke to the darkness of John's bus and reached for her boyfriend. She only opened her eyes when her arms were met with the cold emptiness of the bed. Then, all she felt was panic when she saw the bedside clock and realized how late it was.

She knew how Phil liked to take time alone to get into "the zone" before his matches. He wouldn't get that time tonight, and it was her fault. He would likely be pissed. She all but flew out of the bed and off the bus to retrieve her son from his, likely irritated, father.

"Phil knew you needed rest and didn't want to bother you." Brie added. "You know that we don't mind helping out with the little guy."

Nikki nodded in agreement. "You know what they say…" Her bright red lips spread into a warm smile. "It takes a village…"

"Momma, I'm sleepy." PJ yawned, nuzzling his face into his mother's neck.

Courtney softly rubbed his back. "I know, sweetheart."

"Oh, Court." Brie exclaimed. "Bryan told me to tell you that Phil said he wants to talk to you after the match."

Nikki rolled her eyes. "Jerk." She scoffed. "Take my godson and get him to bed. You aren't on Phil Brooks' time."

Courtney agreed with Nicole. Phil knew that PJ wasn't accustomed to staying up so late. Typically, when Phil had a match so late on the card, PJ was already soundly asleep while Courtney watched from the bus…if she watched at all. Despite her own time in the business and the knowledge that it was all scripted and staged, there were times she couldn't handle watching the man she loved getting tossed around that ring.

"It's okay, Nicole." She replied, wondering what Phil needed to discuss that was so important he expected her to keep their son up well past his bedtime. "I can't leave until Roman shows up anyway. Have you guys seen him around?"

Brie shook her head. "Nope."

"Actually." Nikki added. "I haven't seen any of those Shield boys around since their match earlier. Did you check their bus?"

"No. Roman definitely would have found me and PJ before going back to the bus." Courtney bit her lip.

It was strange.

She'd seen the card that afternoon. The Shield's match against The Brotherhood and Rey Mysterio was the first match that night. Bryan and Phil's was the fifth and she could tell from Phil's hair sticking to his forehead and his sweat covered body shining on the monitor that they'd been at it for a moment.

Roman definitely would have found her by now. Especially with him knowing that she was under the weather and his recent knowledge of her pregnancy. He'd never miss any opportunity to fuss over her and he certainly wouldn't waste a moment before checking on her.

She took a deep, uneasy, breath. The niggling feeling that something wasn't right was beginning to creep upon her. This time, the discomfort brewing in the pit of her stomach wasn't from the life growing within her.

"Oh my god." Nikki's disgusted tone caught Courtney's attention. "Really? Kidnapped by The Wyatt's? I don't know what is up with creative here lately." She was shaking her head at the screen, lips pursed.

Courtney's own eyes flickered up to the screen.

Just as Nikki had described, Bray Wyatt was performing his usual creepy prance up the ramp as Luke Harper and Erick Rowan followed closely behind, ever the loyal footmen. A beaten Bryan was slumped over Rowan's shoulders.

She watched as a breathless, equally beaten down, Phil rolled out of the ring and began to give chase to the dark trio.

"Daddy!"

Courtney's own breath hitched in her chest as PJ's little body tensed in her arms. There came a collective gasp from the Bellas.

They were all as surprised as the fans in the audience.

Without any warning, Courtney's question was answered. Roman's whereabouts were revealed as he and his fellow Shield brethren stood over Phil's crumpled body; the victim of a sickening spear courtesy of _The Powerhouse of the Shield_, himself.

Immediately she felt annoyed with Roman. There wasn't any way he didn't know this was planned for the show. How could he not tell her that he and The Shield were set to feud with her ex?

The irritation and contempt for Roman's failure to disclose the information to her was building within her as she watched him kneel next to Phil's broken body, playfully patting the Straight Edge Superstar on his face, before standing and smirking to Dean and Seth.

She saw the flash in Roman's piercing gray eyes. One side of his lips curled up in smug satisfaction. This was more than just business. He was enjoying it. His own small piece of revenge for the other man having slept with and impregnated the Samoan's girlfriend.

"Momma. Momma." PJ was tugging on the collar of his mother's shirt. "What's Roman doing to Daddy?" The worry was clear in the little boy's panicked voice.

She and Phil had explained to the little boy on multiple occasions that it wasn't real but, understandably, there were still times, times like this, when it stressed the small child to watch his father in such a position. Oftentimes, if she had any inkling that a match or "attack" was going to be particularly brutal, she wouldn't let PJ watch.

Unfortunately for the little boy, neither Roman nor Phil had offered her the courtesy of any such warning this time.

"It's alright, PJ." Nikki said softly. "What do we tell you all the time, baby?" She locked eyes with the little boy. "It's not real, honey." She reassured PJ. "Your dad will be back here in a few minutes and he will be just fine. Like always."

Courtney could see that PJ was comforted by Nicole's words and felt his small body relaxing against her own.

She, however, wasn't convinced.

By the time she turned her attention from her son back to the screen, Phil was on his hands in knees in the ring.

"_Punk doesn't know where he's at." _Michael Cole probably didn't realize the truth in his own statement but Courtney did.

She knew Phil inside-out. She was probably the only one who noticed that vacant look in his eyes as he struggled on all fours. He had been left legitimately disoriented from Roman's unusually savage spear.

Her irritation with Roman quickly turned into a boiling rage. She could feel her cheeks blush as the The Shield circled and taunted the downed man like a pack of wild _hounds _circling their wounded prey. How could they? They were professionals. How could they not see that he wasn't acting at this point?

Then she saw the loathsome grins and smirks being exchanged by the three men. She could feel her own jaw drop at the realization.

They knew full well what they were doing and they didn't care. Dean and Seth were in on it as much as Roman.

Phil was going to pay for knocking up their _brother's_ girlfriend.

It was all she could do not to scream at the screen as the three men lifted Phil up over their heads, positioning him for their trademark _triple powerbomb,_ and slammed the already defeated man down on the mat with a sickening thud.

This wasn't the Roman she knew. This wasn't even a shadow of the sweet man who'd sworn to stand by her as she carried another man's child only hours earlier. She didn't know who this man was looming over Phil's body, fists joined with his accomplices as their theme blared throughout the arena.

What she did know was that she didn't care for this sudden shift in character.

She also knew that Phil was hurt. She could see it in his eyes. It was the same look he had on his face that fateful night in December 3, 2012 when a scripted attack by Ryback during Phil's spot with The Miz exacerbated his already bum knee. He'd been rushed to surgery the very next day. She'd seen the pain and anguish all over his face that night too.

He wasn't acting then and he wasn't acting now as he writhe in pain beneath The Shield, clutching his stomach in agony.

* * *

Roman, Dean, and Seth were already coming through the curtains just as she entered the staging area behind the entrance to the arena.

They were still exchanging the same smug, satisfied, grins along with a few fist bumps and pats on the back.

Their sense of pride at having laid out Phil in the middle of the ring was disgusting to her. She wanted to smack the smirks off all three of their faces, and she certainly could have, but that wasn't what she'd come there for.

She was worried about one thing, and one thing only.

"Hey, baby doll." Roman took notice of her presence. "Are you feeling better?"

Just then, Phil, with the assistance of the referee and one of the ringside trainers, came staggering through the black curtains. One arm draped over the shoulder of the trainer and the other still holding fast to his abdomen. His sweat-soaked face still twisted in pain and discomfort.

"Phillip!" She ignored Roman, rushing past his outstretched arms, throwing her own around the waist of her injured ex.

His tired body was caught off the guard by the weight of her. They likely would have both been on the ground were it not for the support of the trainer.

"Easy, woman." Phil winced "Watch the ribs, you brute."

She only tightened her hold on him. "Are you okay?" It was pure home-coming to melt against his warm body and rest.

Nothing mattered.

Not his infidelity, not the eyes of The Shield boring holes into the both of them, or the whispers and stares of the crew members witnessing the scene. They were the only ones in her world in that moment.

She wasn't even bothered by the warm, sticky, moisture of his chest against her face. All that mattered to her was the sound of his heart beating in his chest. He was the mate to her soul. The one and only true passion in her life.

Phil removed his arm from the trainer's shoulder, slipping it around her waist, and resting his cheek against the top of her head. "I'm fine, Court." He answered, breathing heavily, still breathless from his beat down courtesy of the louts lurking behind her. "Just a little banged up, chick, but that's nothing new." She felt his lips against her hair.

Courtney buried her face in his chest, continuing to hold him tightly, as if by holding him she could keep him safe. What she felt for him was ferociously protective.

"Where's P?"

"Nicole and John took him to their bus." Courtney answered. "He was exhausted and worried about you. I didn't want him to see them packing you back here. Nikki convinced him that you were fine."

"He saw all that?"

"Mhmm." Courtney nodded her head against his chest. "If you or Roman had bothered to fill me in, I wouldn't have let him watch." She finally pulled her face out of his chest, looking up into his exhausted eyes.

A rueful smiled formed on Phil's face. "Well, babe, I didn't feel it was necessary. I was under the impression that I was getting a simple spear. Nobody bothered to inform me, either, that I was going to get hit by a goddamn Mack truck and then have my ass slammed up into my throat by him and his goons." His green eyes suddenly flashed with anger. "What the fuck was that any way, Reigns?" The presence of Roman and his two best friends was finally acknowledged.

Roman stood with his arms crossed, stone-jawed. "I don't know what you are talking about, Punk." He shrugged his shoulders with an air of nonchalance. "It was exactly like we went over this afternoon." His steely gray eyes shifted down to Courtney. The pain in them was evident. He wouldn't show it in front of Phil or her, but he was hurt by the moment of tenderness everyone had just witness between the two exes. "I didn't mention it to you, princess, because it wasn't a big deal. Just business." His voice was sharply cool.

She wasn't sure if it was his sheer disregard for the well-being of another human being, that he couldn't even be bothered with telling her the truth, or just a hormonal mood swing but she immediately felt her blood beginning to boil within her veins again.

"Bullshit, Roman!" She stepped out of Phil's embrace, stepping towards the Samoan and shoving both her hands against his broad chest with every ounce of strength she possessed.

He wasn't moved.

"That was not business!" She pointed a sharp finger up at him. "That was overly rough and every bit intentional! What if you had seriously injured him, Roman? The father of the little boy you claim to care so much about?" Courtney couldn't contain the anger and contempt spewing from her mouth. Her temper swirled within her like a fiery serpent. "What you did out there was vile! It was petty and it was beneath you, Roman!"

"Hold on, sweetheart." Dean held his hands up defensively, stepping between her and Roman. "Don't be pointing fingers, princess, unless you wanna start by pointing one at yourself. You're the only one to blame for your precious Punk getting the justice he deserved." He drew closer to her, cocking his head to the side, and flailing his hands in front of her. "Nobody screws around on my boy and gets away with it. But seeing as you're," his eyes traveled up and down her body with a sneer, "with child, the hounds merely did what needed to be done."

She instinctively took a step back in retreat from the dangerous glint in Dean Ambrose's eyes.

"Ambrose!" It was as though Phil had forgotten about all his aching ribs, quickly moving himself into a protective stance between the three men and Courtney. "You get in her face again and I will break yours!" Phil's voice shook with ire.

"I think that is about enough." John appeared out of nowhere, stepping between the two men with a hand on each of their chests.

"Fuck that, Cena." Phil was clutching his abdomen again. "He just threatened your pregnant best friend, John! I think someone needs to hand this son of a bitch's ass to him."

Seth snickered from Roman's side at the man hunched over in pain. "Is that someone going to be you, Punk? If so", he elbowed Dean in the side, "I don't think my brother, here, has anything to worry about."

"I said ENOUGH." John spoke firmly.

Courtney breath was caught in her throat, shielded by Phil's body in front of her. Her arms were across her own abdomen, self-conscious of the child she was carrying.

Phil knew she was pregnant. She wondered what else he knew. Her baby's paternity, for instance.

"Court. Phil." John turned to face them, dismissing Roman and this fellow Shield members. "PJ is asking for both of you. I promised him I would come get you before my match."

"Tell him that we will be there soon." Phil stepped back, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "I got to get these ribs looked at and then I think Courtney has something she needs to tell me."

She knew from the possessive grip his hand held on her shoulder and the assertive tone in his voice….it was time to tell the truth.

There wasn't any getting out of it.

She wouldn't be going anywhere except with him.

* * *

**Well, I am thinking it's kaputs for Ro & Court. How about you folks?**

**Who knows?**

**Thank you guys for being patient with my updates and reading. I know the last few chapters have kind of sucked but it was because I really lost passion and interest in the direction of the story. So, I decided to change it up and found my love for it. Things are about to get good folks. Thanks for sticking around for the lousy bits.**

**Hope you enjoyed!**


	23. Chapter 23

She rained kisses on the hard-line of his jaw and the skin of his neck as her spent body came to rest against his own. He tasted of salt and desire. His skin, much like her own, was warm and damp with sweat.

"Oh..wow…" Were the only breathless words she could muster.

His fingertips gently running the length of spine sent shivers running through her already tingling body. "You're welcome." He teased, placing a quick kiss against her temple, the short coarse hairs on his chin tickling her cheek.

"I'm welcome?" She sat up, smiling down at him. "If anyone should be receiving any praise right now, it's me."

A wide, cheeky grin spread across his features. "I wasn't the one waking people up at three o'clock in the morning to do the dirty." He answered, folding his arms behind his head. "So, yeah, you're welcome."

"You don't have to always be such a smug asshole, you know that?" She raised an eyebrow.

He brought his hand to her face, gently running his fingers over her cheek. "You wouldn't love me as much if I wasn't."

The only light in the room came from the moonlight trickling through the white curtains that covered the bedroom window. In the softness of this light she could his emerald pools shining with adoration.

He was right.

She loved him for all that he was. From the mess of dark hair atop his head to his smart mouth to the soles of his feet. She loved every inch of the man's tattooed body, inside and out. Even his oftentimes insolent, overweening, and bold personality.

"I guess that makes me quite the masochist, hm?" She leaned in until her lips were hovering over his own. "A girl would have to be to fall in love with you?" She whispered before lowering her mouth to his. Barely making contact, she brushed her lips back and forth over Phil's with the gentlest of pressure.

His hands slid up her neck, cupping her face. "Am I so bad?" He smiled against her lips.

"Mhmm." She nodded softly.

"Well.." He knotted his hands in her dark hair. "I wouldn't call you a masochist, Court. More like a saint." He answered with a kiss. A soft kiss, almost shy in a way, which starkly contrasted his usual brash personality. A personality that was quickly slipping from her mind as their lips moved together in sweet harmony.

His fingers combed through her hair then trailed softly down her spine until reaching the small of her back, where his hand paused and pulled her body closer. Their chests pressed together, she could feel both their hearts pounding together in a symphony.

"Momma…" The sound of PJ's soft voice and his faint rapping on the bedroom door brought an end to the moment. "Daddy.."

"Ugh." Courtney groaned, breaking their kiss. "Of course…" She rested her forehead against his.

"I'm thirsty…" PJ's voice came through the door once more. "Daddy.." More soft knocks followed.

"Hold on, P." Phil finally answered their son. "I'll be out in a minute."

She rolled off of him back to her side of the bed. "Are you sure you don't want me to get him?" She asked, pulling the covers up around her.

"Nope." He sat on the edge of the bed with his back to her. "You go back to sleep. I am going to get this kid some water and have a nice father-son talk about a little thing called _blocking._"

"Phillip!" She grabbed a pillow and flung it at the back of his head. "He is three! You will not!" She giggled.

He stood up from the bed, adjusting the waistband of his shorts on his hips. "Fine." He rolled his eyes playfully. "I'll save that talk for a few more years."

"Thank you." She was still giggling.

She'd missed this.

They butted heads more often than not. When they were together, it was like putting a tornado and a hurricane together in the same room. At least, that is how Brie had once described them. None of that mattered to Courtney. In her opinion, that is what a soul mate was. Their purpose is to shake you up, tear you apart, open you up, and break your heart. They were the people you despised, disrespected, and desired the most.

You go through it because of moments like these. Moments when everything is at peace. The eye of the storm that is always brewing between two of you.

Courtney dealt with his sour moods, his brazenness, his stubbornness, and ego for these moments that reminded her how right they were for one another. Probably the same reason he dealt with her hot temper and her own wilfulness.

"Get some rest, Court." His voice brought her back to reality. She'd been lost in the bliss of the moment. "We have to get up and hit the road in a few hours."

Her spirits dropped at the reminder.

"A whole day with your parents?" Phil shuddered. "I still don't know how you talked me in to that one…" He muttered to himself as he walked out of the room to tend to their boy.

Courtney's stomach twisted and turned as she curled up in the bed. Her previous feeling of contentment was gone. Washed away by the thought of having to spend Thanksgiving with her family. She hadn't told her parents that she and Phil were working things out.

Just bringing Phil to her parent's house was never pleasant. It was either a visit filled with silence between the two men while she and her mother tried to fill it with awkward conversation…..or it ended with a grill getting kicked over like that terrible Fourth of July. They hadn't visited her parents as a family since that awful encounter between the two men.

She knew her father would be devastated enough when he discovered that his daughter had tossed another man he admired, Roman, to the curb. He despised Phil for reasons unknown to anyone but himself.

She figured Phil would try to behave, for the sake of Courtney and PJ. Her father was a different story….he had less restraint.

She could already see the disgust and disappointment on her father's face when they walked in tomorrow…

…..what she couldn't imagine and didn't want to think about was his reaction when she told him she was having Phillip's child…again.

* * *

_**Flashback:**_

_**The trainer's room, empty but for the two of them, was uncomfortably silent. **_

_**Courtney sat in the black folding chair, eyes watching her hands fidgeting nervously in her lap. She could feel his eyes burning into her as he stood over her, processing the news she'd just delivered.**_

_**Of course he'd already known she was pregnant…thanks to their precocious son. His only question had been in regards to which man was at fault.**_

_**He wasn't an ignorant man by any means. Phil was probably the smartest man she'd ever known. The Shield's behavior in the ring and Dean's words in the hall were probably all he needed to discern that the baby was his. **_

_**He wouldn't let her off that easy, she knew him too well. He wanted her confirmation. He would make her say it.**_

_**She'd shifted around in the chair, nerves on edge, the entire time the trainer was looking him over. She didn't understand why she'd been so ready to tell him that afternoon but the idea suddenly filled her with dread. **_

"_**When were you going to tell me, Court?" He finally spoke.**_

"_**I don't know." She spoke softly, slowing raising her head to look at him. **_

_**He was standing with his arms crossed, green eyes burning with intensity. "Okay." He nodded. **_

_**She was usually so good at reading him, she knew him so well, but she couldn't tell what was going through his head. He was expressionless as he stared at her, unblinking.**_

"_**Okay?" She felt self-conscious under his stare; unable to hold her eyes to his before her gaze fell short, averting in favor of the door behind him so that she didn't feel so scrutinized.**_

_**She wished he would just react already.**_

_**Yell at her. Ask her a billion questions. Anything but this. She would rather he just walk away from her like he did the last time she'd found herself in this position; Telling him she was carrying his child.**_

_**Anything but the silence and his eyes piercing into her.**_

_**His eyes remained fixed on her. "Well, Court." He rubbed his chin contemplatively. "What do you want me to say?" He sighed.**_

"_**Anything." She answered. "Yell at me. Tell me I was wrong….something."**_

"_**I am not going to yell at you, Courtney." He shook his head. "I'm not going to lie to you. It pisses me off that, once again, I was the last one to know that you're pregnant."**_

_**She knew she was wrong for telling Roman before she told Phil but she didn't think his comment was fair. The girls had been with her the moment she'd found she was pregnant with PJ. She'd had every intention of telling him first about this baby…**_

"_**Phil, I-" She attempted to interject.**_

"_**No, Courtney." He held up a finger, cutting her short. "It doesn't matter, okay. What's done is done and I know now." He rubbed his ribs gingerly. "Albeit the circumstances under which the news was delivered were less than preferable." **_

"_**I'm sorry, Phillip." She felt a pang of guilt rise up in her stomach and lodge in the back of her throat. "Dean was right. Everything that happened to you out there was my fault."**_

"_**Just let it go, Courtney." Phil dismissed her apology, slipping his arms in the sleeves of his grey hooded jacket. The same one he'd lent her in Chicago. "I'm tired, I'm hurting, and I don't want to talk about that group of dunderheads." He zipped the jacket up over his bare chest. "I just want us to get our son and go relax."**_

_**Her heart sank in her chest at the word, "us".**_

_**Just as she feared, he thought they would get back together since she was pregnant again.**_

"_**Phil, clearly, Roman and I are over and my concern for your well-being in the hall may have caused me to overreact-" She started to ramble.**_

"_**Shut up, Court." He groaned. "I am sick of this nonsense."**_

_**Courtney cocked her head, wrinkling her brow. "Excuse me?" His suddenly brazen tone catching her off guard.**_

"_**I said I am sick of your nonsense, Courtney." He reiterated, green eyes feverish. "You and PJ are coming with me tonight and you're going home with me after the Smackdown taping tomorrow."**_

"_**Wait..what? No.." She sputtered over her words, shocked at his nerve and audacity. "You can't just order me around. You don't own me just because we share a son and I am carrying your baby." She stood from the chair having suddenly found the fortitude she previously lacked. "We are done, Phillip." She poked him firmly in the center of his chest. "Six months, Phillip. You slept with another woman for six months! You really think that this baby just erases all that?"**_

_**Phil sighed, rubbing his temples wearily. **_

_**She couldn't believe him.**_

_**First, he all but tells her they are getting back together. Now, he was really going to act is if he was irritated by the fact that she didn't comply without protest. As if she was being unreasonable.**_

"_**Alright, fine." He exhaled, exasperated. "I will say this, Courtney, and I will say it only once so listen closely, sweetheart. I won't repeat myself."**_

"_**Don't waste your breath, Phillip." She muttered bitterly. "I don't want to hear it." She shoved past him. "I'm not coming-"**_

"_**ENOUGH!" He grabbed her elbow, jerking her around to face him. "I screwed up!" He leaned in, face inches from her own. "I get it, Courtney!" He yelled, his voice echoing throughout the empty room.**_

_**She knew he would never hurt her. They'd had plenty of arguments in their four years together, some of them extremely intense. Times they'd screamed in one another's faces; just as he was yelling in her face now. He'd never risen a hand towards her. She knew he never would.**_

_**Still, she found herself taking a step back from him out of pure instinct. Courtney hadn't seen Randy Orton's face in three and a half years but the mental and emotional scars were still there. Especially when Phil's eyes were burning as fiercely as they were now.**_

_**Phil knew this too.**_

_**His rigid expression softened. "I get it, Courtney." He repeated, lowering his voice and creating distance between them. "You have made your point. You moved on. You started dating. You bought a house." She watched a wave of sadness wash over his features. "Lesson learned. You don't need me." His voice tinged with emotion and regret. "I need you, Courtney. I need our son. I need our family."**_

_**She brought her hand to her mouth, overcome by the emotion in his voice. Tears welled in her own eyes. **_

"_**So, you're coming home, Courtney." He continued. **_

"_**Phillip."**_

_**He stepped forward, taking her face in his hands. "I love you, Courtney, and you are terrible at concealing the fact that you still love me too. You're coming home."**_

"_**Of course I love you, Phil." She smiled sadly. "That's so easy, it comes effortlessly."**_

_**His smile matched her own but then she frowned and sighed. "It's trusting you that is hard." A lone tear slipped down her cheek.**_

"_**I know." Using his thumb, he softly brushed the tear away. "I am ready and I am willing to do whatever it takes to rebuild that trust again, Courtney. I'm begging you." He stared down into her eyes, searching her soul for a hint of hope. "Don't give up on me just yet, Court. Stay with me. Work it out with me. Come home, please."**_

_**She was exhausted. She couldn't fight it anymore.**_

"_**I don't know how to let you back in." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, preparing herself for the leap she was about to take. "But…" She whispered. "I don't know how to keep you out either.."**_

* * *

His ribs still ached and his eyes were heavy with exhaustion but he was content as he watched the Florida sunrise from the window of Courtney's kitchen.

He'd always hated clichés but he'd gladly tell anyone, at that moment, that he was on cloud nine. Nothing could bring him down from it. He was running on the two hours of sleep he'd got before Courtney woke him up with that look in her eye.

Sleep was a luxury to him. He got very little of it on the road. He hadn't slept much on those few nights a month he did get to spend at home since Courtney and PJ had left. It'd only been two days since she'd decided to quit being so prideful and work things out but he still hadn't slept. The first night back with his family…he'd been so worried it was a dream. He didn't want to close his eyes in fear that he would open them and they would both be gone. He'd sat up the entire night watching them, snuggled together in the large bed, sleep.

His world finally returned to him.

He'd every intention of getting some much-needed rest when they arrived to Courtney's house the prior evening but, of course, she'd had different plans. Who was he to deny the woman he loved?

"I'm ready, Daddy!" PJ came running into the kitchen.

Phil turned from the window and watched his son climb on the stool situated at the island in the middle of the kitchen. "Good job, champ." He smiled at his son.

The kid was dressing himself now. He couldn't believe how much his son had grown in the three months since Courtney had left.

Three months that he could never get back with the kid.

"Daddy, do we have to go to Nana and Pops'?" PJ sat his little elbow on the counter, propping his head on his palm. "I want to go home."

Phil made his way to the kitchen island and leaned over the counter across from his son. "I know, P." He gave his son a reassuring smile. "I do, too."

"Then let's go, Daddy." PJ shrugged.

Phil chuckled. The boy reminded him so much of himself. From the boy's green eyes to his love for baseball to his little smart mouth….he was his son inside-out. He couldn't deny the kid if he wanted to.

"Look, PJ." He said, removing the Cubs ball cap from his own head and plopping it down on the boy's head. "I would rather be stuffing my face at Aunt Nat's in Chicago." Referring to one of his very best friends and high school girlfriend, Natalie. The place he'd planned to spend Thanksgiving before things got shook up. "But, Mom wants to go see her psycho parents." He empathized with the kid.

PJ rolled his little eyes. "Momma says that we don't always get what we want, Daddy."

"True, P." He nodded. "But, take note of this son because it will help you in the future, if Momma isn't happy than none of us are."

"What are the two of you in here commiserating over?" Courtney stood in the door way with her arms crossed.

She was so beautiful that it made his soul ache.

Her dark hair fell in loose waves just about her shoulders and her stunning hazel eyes were shining in the light of the morning sun.

He would never get tired of looking at her. How he'd ever looked past her to see another woman was beyond him.

Standing there with her bronze skin aglow, she left him breathless.

"Daddy doesn't want to go to Nana or Pops' house, Momma." PJ stated in a matter-of-fact way.

Her smile was radiant.

"Oh, well, Daddy will be fine." She moved so gracefully. "It's only a few hours." She playfully pulled the cap, over-sized on the boy's small head, down over his face.

"An hour in hell is still _an hour in hell_." Phil grumbled.

"Phillip." She shot him a look from across the island. "Would you do me a favor and set an example for your son, please? How can I convince him that it isn't going to be so bad if you are over there moaning about it?"

He didn't know how he was supposed to pretend to be the slightest bit excited about visiting her family. There was no love lost between him and any of them except for a few of her cousins. The last thing he wanted to do was teach his son that it was okay to hide one's true feelings but, he would do anything for Courtney.

"Look, PJ." He took his cap back from the kid and situated it atop his own head. "Thanksgiving is about spending time with your family." It was the best he could do. "Even if they are fucking nuts…" He muttered under his breath.

"Phillip." He was the recipient of another spiteful look courtesy of his girlfriend.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not gonna lie to the kid, Court." He grinned.

She smiled lightly. "You're incorrigible, you know that?"

"Yeah." He removed his weight from the counter. "But you love me?" He extended his arms out to her, motioning her towards him.

Without question, she came around the counter, wrapping her own arms around his waist.

Words could never explain how it felt to her hold her in his arms again. "It will be okay, PJ." He looked at his son. "We'll get through these few hours with Momma's family and then we are going home to Chicago."

"Before we go…" She gazed up at him innocently.

He knew that look. It was look she only gave when she wanted something or she'd done something wrong.

"What is it, Court?"

"Well.." She released her hold on him and strolled back to her spot next to PJ. "I told my mother on the phone just a moment ago that I am pregnant, again. She's going to try and get dad in a good mood before we get there….but….we have to tell him today."

Nope.

Nothing could bring him down. Nothing could overshadow his joy of being reunited with his family. Nothing at all…except that cantankerous old man, Malcolm Scott.

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed! Much loves.**

**Thanks for the reviews and the support. **


	24. Chapter 24

The drive from Tampa to Orlando was a good hour and a half, give or take ten minutes, depending on traffic.

Yet, to Courtney, it felt like she'd only spent twenty minutes chewing her lip in the passenger seat while Phil kept his eyes on the road and PJ's attention was held by the Justice League animated DVD she kept in glove box to play on her SUV's DVD player for the boy on long trips.

If Phil was nervous or the least bit shaken about having to face her parents with the news they were back together and expecting another son or daughter, he wasn't showing it. He seemed content as he stared out the windshield, tapping his thumbs and humming along with whatever song was playing in his head.

Occasionally, he would glance her way with a wink, reach over to squeeze her hand, or rub her thigh before returning his attention back to the road. It irked her, slightly, that he didn't seem as nervous as she felt.

She'd already spent her morning crouched over the toilet, nothing new, but her stomach still felt queasy as she thought back to her conversation on the phone with her mother that morning.

"_Courtney, you are calling early. What's wrong? Please tell me that you and Roman haven't changed your minds about coming to dinner with the family. Everyone is looking forward to seeing you and PJ." _She could hear the banging and clanging of pots and pans in the background when her mother answered the doubt the she'd been up all night in the kitchen with Courtney's aunt, Melanie, and her cousins, Bekah and Vickie. It was their Thanksgiving and Christmas tradition and Courtney used to be a part of it before she started wrestling. She could remember many Thanksgiving and Christmas Eves spent with the four other women, laughing and providing their own commentary on life while they prepared the next day's feast.

"_Everything is fine, Momma. We are still coming but there's been a slight change in plans and I would like you to break the news to Daddy before we get there." _She knew her mother would be more receptive of the news than Malcolm would. Unlike Malcolm, she'd grown to love and accept Phil. Very few women could resist his obnoxious charm.

"_My child, what did you do that is so terrible you can't face your father yourself?" _She could picture her mother standing over the stove with the phone shouldered against her ear while she stirred a steaming pot.

"_I'm pregnant again, Momma."_ She got straight to the point.

"_Okay? Why can't you tell him that? You are 31 years old and already have a child. The ship carrying our disappointment in you having a child out-of-wedlock has long since sailed, sweetheart."_

"_It's Phillip's, Momma." _She figured that would stifle her mother's dismissive air. _"We've decided to work things out and he's coming with me and PJ to dinner today." _

She was able to hear what sounded like a plate shattering in the sink, having likely slipped out of her mother's wet hands when she was rattled by her daughter's news. _"Courtney LaShae. I love you and I know you love Phil. I will support you in any decisions you make regarding your relationship with him because I know how much you two care about one another." _Her mother's voice was low in the phone, she was probably trying to keep Melanie and the girls from overhearing. _"You know how your father feels about that man and, while I welcome him, I cannot believe you would wait until this morning to spring this on me. I WILL NOT have a part in that. I will try to keep your father in good spirits in hopes that he might take the news well but you are a grown woman and you will tell him yourself."_

Then she'd disconnected but her words continued to play in Courtney's head as she stood on her parents' porch. Her mother was the one person that Malcolm ever showed any patience with, much like Phil's own behavior towards her. If her mother was too afraid of her father's reaction to break the news…she was sick at the thought of how he would react to news when it was broken to him by Courtney and the man he despised so.

A moment of truth she would soon have to face. She inhaled slowly and deeply before pushing the front door open.

"Mother!" Courtney's voice reverberated off the empty walls of her parent's foyer. "Daddy! We're here!"

"Hey, guys." Her mother appeared, smiling warmly, from the doorway that led to the section of the house where the kitchen and dining room were located. "This is a pleasant surprise." She walked up to them, wiping her hands on the white apron covering her khaki slacks and the olive blouse that brought out the hazel eyes she shared with her daughter. "I wasn't expecting you guys so early."

"Well, our plane to Chicago leaves at seven so we will probably have to leave soon after dinner." Courtney stepped past her mother into the foyer, slipping her leather jacket from her shoulders. "I figured we would get here early so nobody could accuse us of just showing up for the free meal."

Phil let out a low whistle. "Looking good, Cass." He greeted Courtney's mother with a hug.

"It's nice to see you as well, Phil." The older woman returned his embrace for a moment, gently rubbing his back in that motherly way, before pulling back and smacking his shoulder. "That's for calling me 'Cass'. How many times do I have to ask you to call me 'Cassandra'?"

"As many as you like, Cass, but I can't promise that it will do any good." Phil wore a huge grin as he rubbed the spot where Cassandra's hand had just connected.

Courtney knew Phil was showcasing his usual charm to flatter her mother but she had to agree; her mother was a classic beauty. Her blonde hair, with the few errant grey strands, was pulled back into a sleek chignon. Her pale skin glowed with gentle lines that revealed more wisdom than age. Her face was a study in art with her high cheekbones and subtle make-up that accentuated the fine bone structure she'd passed down to her only child. Despite her long night in the kitchen and impending blow-up that was bound to take place when Malcolm saw Phil, her tired eyes were stilling shining with laughter and secrets that only an older woman would know.

Some of her anxiety dissipated as she took in her mother's interaction with Phil. She felt tender-hearted realizing that her mother could be so loving and forgiving. Courtney wasn't sure she would share Cassandra's benevolent nature should she ever have a daughter in the same position as herself.

"Nana.." PJ tugged at his grandmother's apron. "I want to go home." He pouted.

"Don't be rude, PJ." Courtney scolded her son. "You won't get to see Nana and Pops much now that we're moving back to Chicago."

"No, No." Cassandra shook her head. "It's fine, Courtney. I guess I will just have to find someone else to taste the banana pudding for me." She winked.

PJ's face lit up excitedly. "Pudding, Nana?"

"Yes, sir." Cassandra bent down, grabbing the boy under his arms and lifting him onto her hip. "I have a whole bowl full of pudding just sitting in the refrigerator waiting on Nana's little helper to get here and perform the taste test." She kissed her grandson's cheek.

"Please tell me you have some of those awesome fucking homemade pumpkin cupcakes that need some taste testing?" Phil was all but drooling.

Courtney stifled a laugh at her boyfriend. He was as excited about the prospect of her mother's baked goods as PJ was at the idea of the bowl of pudding waiting on him. Something else the two men in her life shared, their love for sweets and junk food. The parallels between the Phil and their son were undeniable.

"Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" Cassandra frowned.

Phil smirked. "I wouldn't kiss my mother with a dog's mouth." He responded emphatically.

"You are insufferable, Phillip." She said with a mild look of reproach. "I did make them…..but you can't have any until after dinner."

"Aaah, come on, Cass. Is that any way to welcome your favorite son-in-law back into the family?" Phil coaxed his girlfriend's mother.

"Uh-uh, Phillip." Cassandra tsked. "You don't get to use that title until my daughter gets a ring on her pretty little finger."

"I've already dropped two kids in her. Doesn't that get me any sort of recognition?" Phil teased.

Cassandra's thin lips bent into a wry smile. "Yes, you have. Which leads me to think that you should consider getting that ring sooner rather than later."

"Nana." PJ huffed impatiently. "The pudding…."

"Yes, yes." Cassandra nodded. "The pudding is waiting for us." She turned to her daughter. "C'mon, Courtney. You can help us in the kitchen. I went ahead and told your father that Phil was coming to dinner." She exhaled. "He was none-too-pleased but he's promised to play nice so you can join the rest of the boys in the den, Phillip."

Courtney had been so lost in the light-hearted banter between her mother and Phil that she'd completely forgotten about her father. Her heart felt as if it was lodged in her throat. "I think it might be a better idea if Phil just came to kitchen with me and PJ." Courtney bit her lip and swallowed hard over the lump that was forming.

"I'll be alright, Court." He walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulder, squeezing them with perfect pressure. "If your dad promised to play nice then I will too." He reassured her.

"You promise?" She wanted to at least break the news of her pregnancy before any altercations broke out between the two men.

He planted a kiss on her forehead. "Anything for you, chick."

"Promise me, Phillip." She said sternly. His answer left too much open for interpretation.

"Fine." His eyes rolled. "I promise." He grumbled.

* * *

"There's my stunning, gestating cousin glowing like the morning sun!" Bekah announced as Courtney stepped into the busy kitchen filled with the women of her family and food.

The tall, skinny brunette was seated at the kitchen counter, swiping away at her iPad as the other women of the family rushed around the room, working hard to prepare the day's feast.

"Subtlety never was your strong suit, was it, cousin?" Courtney said, barely aware or caring that all the activity in the busy kitchen suddenly stopped as all the women stopped to stare and whisper under their breaths about the black sheep of the family as she made her way across the room.

She was the one who ran off and became a wrestler instead of becoming a dutiful housewife like the rest of the women in her family. She was the one who, when she decided to date, hooked up with the woman beater. She was the one who got knocked up by a man she'd only spoke to on four occasions before they conceived their son, she was the one living in sin with same man and carrying his child again.

She stopped giving a damn about her family's archaic way of thinking a long time ago. She was used to being stared down the nose at and judged by the other women in her family.

Except Bekah.

"What?" The girl with the pixie cut and dimple piercings kept her eyes fixed on her gadget. "You worried the rest of these _holier-than-thou _moralists are going condemn their niece, the harlot, for getting knocked up again?" She teased.

The rest of the women just ignored Bekah's comments and went back to hurriedly preparing the food.

Bekah had always been Courtney's favorite relative.

Just like Courtney, Bekah had rejected their family's traditional and conservative views on women and their roles in society. This was evident as Bekah sat in the middle of the busy women, clearly refusing to have any part of the food preparation. Nobody would ever see Bekah going out of her way to prepare a meal for an able-bodied man because he was too busy watching a football game.

"I just want to get dinner out of the way before Dad finds out and we witness the inevitable show-down between him and Phillip." Courtney groused as she took a seat next to her cousin.

"Oh, don't worry about that." Bekah smiled, keeping her deep blue eyes on the iPad in her hands. "Aunt Cassie made it clear to all of us that the news was not to leave this kitchen."

"Of course she did." Courtney bemoaned, slumping down in the chair with her arms crossed. "She's making sure that I am the one who breaks the news. She's not going to let anyone but me go down for this…"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Bekah shook her head in mock pity. "I think _going down_ is what got you in this situation, Court."

"Rebekah!" Courtney gasped in astonishment. The comment was crude, even for Bekah. "My son can hear you!" She nodded at the little boy sitting on the counter next to the sink, lost in a bowl of pudding courtesy of Cassandra.

"Yes, Bekah, watch your mouth." Cassandra came from behind them, to the surprise of both women. "You two aren't going to sit here and watch the rest of us work, ladies." She placed a sack of potatoes and two paring knives on the surface in front of the girls. "Peel these potatoes for the potato salad." Cassandra sternly instructed the girls before disappearing back into the hustle and bustle.

Courtney, without a thought, picked up a knife and quickly set to work on the potatoes.

"Whatever." Bekah shrugged it off. "I don't blame you, Court." Bekah's eyes still hadn't left the gadget in her hands. "If I had a boyfriend as sexy as that man, I would stay knocked up too."

Courtney arched her brow at her cousin, not that the free-spirited girl was paying attention to her cousin's face. "You just keep all your dirty thoughts about my boyfriend and your hands to yourself, Rebekah."

"C'mon, cousin." Bekah finally looked up from the iPad, eyes twinkling with humor. "You didn't know your cousin was a CM Punk fan girl?" Bekah raised the iPad to reveal the device's background: a random photo of Phil. "I totally ship us. You should have seen my disappointment when I read the rumor online that he'd reconciled with his baby momma." Bekah teased, a large grin splitting her face.

Courtney just shook her head at her cousin as she focused on peeling the potato in her hand. "You just _Googled _that picture, didn't you?" She cast her cousin a side-glance.

Bekah stuck out her tongue.

"You are such a troll." Courtney snickered.

Bekah was probably the only person, apart from Phil, that could lift Courtney's spirits when she was feeling as down and out as she'd felt when she initially entered the kitchen. All of her anxiety and apprehension was completely gone. Her mind hadn't even gone to Phil currently in a room all alone with all the male relatives of the woman he'd recently cheated on. Bekah was good at distracting her like that.

Things couldn't be that bad, though. She hadn't heard any raised voices or crashing furniture.

That was a good sign.

Her spirits starting to rise significantly with her new outlook on the day. Thanksgiving might not be so bad after all.

Bekah was there. Phil and her relatives seemed to be coexisting so far. PJ was content.

She looked over at PJ still digging enthusiastically into the bowl with his pudding covered fingers, grinning from ear to ear. Courtney smiled sadly at her little boy. It was bittersweet to her. The thought that he wouldn't be her baby anymore.

He would soon be a big brother.

She was sure that it was probably just the hormones messing with her but she could feel the tears beginning to pool in her eyes at the sight of PJ's face, covered in his favorite treat, beaming. She wasn't sure how she could find room in her heart to love another child as much as she loved this little boy, but she knew she would. She would fall in love with this baby the moment she met him or her….just like she did with PJ.

"Hey…." Bekah's hesitant voice came from beside her. "Court…"

"What, Bekah?" Courtney sniffled, sitting the knife down to rub her misty eyes.

Bekah's eyes were still on the iPad but the light they previously held was gone. "I thought you said that Phil cheated on you with that NXT Diva, Paige?"

"Uh, yeah?" Courtney answered, caught completely off guard by her cousin's question. "Why, Bekah? We're working to put that behind us."

Bekah blew out a shallow breath, shaking her head. "I hope you have A LOT of room behind you…"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Dread was beginning to manifest in the pit of her stomach. She could see it all over her cousin's sullen face that something was wrong.

"Courtney…" A pained expression made its home on Bekah's face as her eyes danced between her cousin and the iPad. Hesitantly, Bekah slowly turned the iPad to face her cousin once more. "That doesn't look like Paige…"

It took a moment before what she was seeing registered with her but, when it did, her heart immediately sank.

_That lying bastard. _She brought her hand to her mouth, using all she had within her to keep the words from crying out.

There, on the screen, a picture of Phil…..and AJ. He was sitting there, with his hood up, but it was clearly him. Smiling. Laughing. Having a good time with another woman.

Those green chairs. She would know those green chairs anywhere. Wrigley Field. Her eyes quickly searched the photo for all the small details, hoping her suspicions weren't correct. They were confirmed by the conspicuous absence of the lip ring he'd only taken out that spring and the way he'd trimmed the hair on his face.

The picture was from that year. They were at a Cubs game, clearly, so it had to be that spring or summer.

She felt the tears beginning to pool in her eyes again. Her hands went to her pained chest, finding it suddenly hard to breath at the sudden realization.

The flirtatious smile on AJ's face as she sat leaned in against Phil spoke volumes.

It was starting to look like Phil's dalliance with Paige hadn't been the only one.

* * *

**Aaaand the plot thickens... :)**

**Hope you all enjoyed! Much loves! Be sure to tell me what you all think.**

**(A/N: I would just like to say that I received a few uplifting reviews and DM's after the last chapter. I really appreciate all of your kind words, guys. I really beat myself up over this story and stress hard to make it perfect for you. It makes it all worth it when you guys message me and tell me how much you love it, tell me what you interpret from it, and what you want to see. I do it all for you guys and I love you all.) Okay, enough mush. :)**


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